Trail Busters
by gaben
Summary: 6th Story in the Alexandra Series. Marty and Alexandra are a little put out at being left behind, while the Cartwright men go on one of the biggest trail rides in the territory. Frankly, I'm not sure what's going to happen, other than, Adam won't be too happy and Alexandra will have a lot to say… as usual.
1. Chapter 1 Prologue

**Trail Busters - 6th Story in the Alexandra Series.**

 **Summary** : Marty and Alexandra are a little put out at being left behind, while the Cartwright men go on one of the biggest trail rides in the territory. Frankly, I'm not sure what's going to happen, other than, Adam won't be too happy and Alexandra will have a lot to say… as usual.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Bonanza, or any of its characters. David Dortort and Fred Hamilton created them and played with them for 14 years. The series is owned by NBC.

 **Warnings** : Physical Discipline by a parent in some chapters.

 **Trail Busters**

 **Prologue**

"Alexandra!"

Adam rummaged through the discarded contents of his saddlebag, annoyed, very annoyed; this was the third time he had packed his bags for the upcoming cattle drive. Up until this moment, he'd thought that he'd just kept missing items, or that he had forgotten to pack the clean shirts Hop Sing had laundered, but perhaps he hadn't.

Adam prided himself on being ready to go on a drive at the drop of the hat. He always prepared his personal belongings well in advance in case he had to take off before dawn when the time came to get the crew and the bovines on the move.

'Always be prepared' was Adam's mantra. However, the discarded items on the bed were proof that he was NOT getting forgetful in his old age, but rather evidence of a saboteur within his midst. And it was very obvious that said saboteur was caught in the act of removing items from his saddle bag.

'Hmm what was missing?' Not his two clean shirts, not his spare pair of pants and long johns, or the small hand towel he used when a quick shave and wash was in order; no these items, now unfolded and creased, were still there; no longer in his saddle bags, but in a pile. His small journal and box of pencils were scattered on the bed, along with his latest bit of reading material that lay open; the bookmark still tucked in the tight fold of its spine.

"Alexandra!" Adam called again, growling this time, as he picked up the novel, closed it and threw it back on the bed with the rest of the pile. He tucked two fingers of each hand into a pocket of his dungarees and sighed. He looked to the door waiting for his eleven-year-old daughter to sheepishly poke her head around the doorframe. Surely, she couldn't be too far away, as this time there had been little time for the saboteur to remove items. Alexandra wouldn't dare ignore his calls for too long. Besides that, since their return from San Francisco, the child had barely been out of his sight. Alexandra had clung to him like the fur of a molting cat. He knew it was connected to her mother's death. His Pa had also reminded him of what he had been like when Inger had been killed so suddenly. The then very mature and responsible six-year-old, now in charge of his infant brother, had kept his father in sight at every move until they had made it to Eagle Bend. And then, Adam remembered what Joe had been like when Marie had died and how his father, overwhelmed by grief, abandoned his youngest child, really, all of his sons, when they needed him and feared for him, which intensified their loss. Ben reminded his son of the lesson he'd learned at that time, and to take Alexandra's clinginess as her need for stability. Alexandra needed to know the world was still a safe place and that she was surrounded by people who would always protect and love her.

Adam started to repack his items, mentally ticking them off as he went. "Damn" his shaving kit was incomplete; soap, check, brush and small cup, leather strip mirror and… no razor!

"Alexandra," he bellowed this time. The child knew she was not to touch his razor. He kept it sharp; it was his second razor, kept ready for trips, planned or unplanned. While he usually didn't shave everyday while on the trail, there were times he needed to present himself in town to a prospective buyer. Then, there was always the day of the sale and their celebration with a night in town. He and Hoss looked forward to a hot bath, shave and tasty meal before venturing into the local saloon to buy the men drinks for a job well done. Of course, there were times where a romantic interlude arose as well, though this time there would be no such occurrence, he would be saving that night for Marty, once he returned to the Ponderosa in three weeks' time.

The night of their return from San Francisco was really the only time that Adam and Marty had spent more than a quick meal or visit. It had been a lovely evening. After Alexandra and Marty had found the small watercolour of the lake, Alexandra's meadow, the little girl had told Marty all about her mother. Adam had been glad for, whatever heavenly invention happened at the lake, Alexandra's acceptance of Marty. The entire family enjoyed their time at the lake — immersed in a glorious panorama for their dusk picnic. Once they had their full of Hop Sing's fine cooking, Alexandra had dozed off, her head resting comfortably on her Uncle Hoss's huge soft thigh. Adam and Marty took the opportunity to take an enchanting walk along the borders of the lake engrossed in the glints and shimmers of the moonlight.

 _ **Flashback**_

Adam and Marty strolled in silence for some time, hand in hand—, just the soft breeze, the whispering breath and the feel of each other's warm skin merged in a relaxed hand clasp. Adam stopped, turned Marty to face him. "Come here," he whispered as he pulled her towards him and dropped his lips gently towards her. He let their fullness rest on hers and felt calm in the warm and pensive sensation of their souls touching.

"Hmmm, I've missed you so much," said Marty.

Adam deepened the kiss, but didn't linger too long and drew back, slowly smiling and letting his eyes wonder over her beautiful features. Her long strawberry blonde hair blew around her attractive features and the twinkle in her eye. "I've missed you too, very much, Miss Strawn," he added with amusement. He pulled her closer to him and encased her in a bear hug reminiscent of Hoss' modus operandi. "I just need some skin on skin", he murmured, as he lowered his head then into the small space between the exposed neck of the open collar of her shirt, resting his cheek against the soft skin and her gentle pulse.

Marty's blush increased his own warmth there. He discreetly kissed her before lifting his head, then moved back a step. "I beg your pardon," he grinned. "I didn't mean to take such liberties," he said tongue in cheek.

Marty's blushed again. "Well, I did wonder a bit with the skin on skin, comment. I must say… it was a little cheeky, but then…" she laughed at Adams attempt at being bashful. "I'm pleased you missed me."

"I wish I could really tell you how much," said Adam. "I needed you so much; not just another adult to share my grief, but you, Marty. I was a little afraid that I was neglecting and excluding you. I didn't know if I was doing the right thing, so I just kept everything separate; in different compartments. Well, so I thought, but tonight…" Adam paused looking for the right words.

Marty waited a moment, but when Adam said nothing else she recognized his need for some more time to think. She turned and continued walking squeezing his hand before swinging it playfully. A few minutes into the stroll, she broke the silence. "I was glad you and Alexandra got to share this journey and got to say all the things to Katherine that you did, but I must admit I was a little bit envious while you were away. Now, I feel guilty about that, because it appears I was part of in some way."

Adam stopped, struck by the thoughts he'd been trying to express. That was Marty; she expressed herself simply with sincerity. He needed to stop over thinking things; stop trying to find the perfect dialogue; stop trying to be so logical. He'd tried to beat Alexandra with logic, but it often back fired on him, because her logic was— well he didn't know what it was, but it wasn't logic in his book. Alex was pure emotion and knee jerk reactions. Marty was right. "You are very much a part of this journey," said Adam, holding a stray strand of her silky hair and rolling it in his fingertips. "Tonight at the lake was… I can't explain how the painting was here, but for Alexandra it was a sign and that's what matters."

"You don't think it was sign?" asked Marty, curious to hear his response.

"My logical brain says… well no— a coincidence, but there were a lot of coincidences on this trip, and I think deep down, my father's spiritual journey and beliefs have rubbed off on me. So my faith in truth and the goodness of people has me accepting it as sign too."

Marty wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. "I felt so far away at times," she murmured.

"I felt that too", admitted Adam. "That's why I needed just to touch you, feel your life. That makes me feel like a bit of a heel, though…"

"Don't, there were no liberties taken Adam, well not ones I didn't want. If there were, you would have felt my heel," she smirked.

Adam laughed. "I'm sure I would have, though, as you know, I'm quick to retaliate, Miss Strawn. Seriously, though, I feel a bit of a heel, because I didn't need or want that from Katherine. I loved Katherine, but I wasn't in love with Katherine. I thought I was in the beginning, but I was young. She was too and seems to have stayed in love with me."

"What would you have done if she'd told you of Alexandra in the beginning?"

"I would have asked her to marry me. I would have been very happy to marry Katherine. I was angry at first when I found out about Alexandra after all that time. I felt cheated. I wondered if Katherine thought that I would not honour our union, or that I'd take Alexandra away from her. But, that wasn't it, she was afraid that I'd be stuck in a hapless marriage, have regrets about having to stop my education. In her eyes that wasn't going to be ideal for anyone."

"She must have loved you very much," mused Marty.

"Yes. In her heart she knew there would come a time for me and Alexandra."

"I wish it didn't have to be so sad a time for you all. At the same time, it's important that you discovered all those things."

"Alexandra and I talked a lot about Katherine, talked a lot about you, and while we didn't go into the details of our romance with Katherine, I believe Katherine knew I found someone, and was happy for all of us. Alexandra has had an unusual upbringing, with lots of adults regarded as extended family members, Katherine trusted them all. I know she trusted me and therefore she would trust my judgement. Katherine knew that Alexandra will always have a family and parents that will love her and encourage her to be good, happy and the best person she can be."

"I'll be very happy to be part of that," announced Marty.

"And I am very happy you are going to be part of that too, Miss Strawn. I think I'll keeping calling you Miss Strawn, I like it."

"Hmm, well maybe, and only because it makes you think you're in charge, but not for the next three weeks," she warned. A change in her demeanor was announced with a soft sigh. "It's not fair, I'm going to miss you all over again."

"We'll have tonight?" he cheered raising his eyebrows.

"We do, but there not much of that left."

"Ahh, there's good light, and we can do some more kissing before I gallantly escort you to the Devlin's."

"Sounds like a plan," smiled Marty as she grabbed Adams collar and pulled him towards her and caressed his slightly exposed chest. She played with the hairs there, twisting one a little painfully for Adams liking, before initiating her own fevered kiss.

 _ **End Flashback.**_

Over the remaining days of that week, Adam had been busy with round- up preparations and Marty had been busy with the Delvin's. Marty was going to be there for an extra week while Dan got his herd to the rendezvous. As a result, Alexandra was going to be staying with Mrs. O'Shaunassey until Marty could take her back to town.

Adam was drawn back to the present. He took another look at the discarded items on the bed. There was still no response from Alexandra, and Adam marched towards the door, his patience wearing thin. He was bone tired from trying to catch up with work since their return from San Francisco and perhaps was not attuned to his daughter's motivations. Alex was probably hiding somewhere; maybe the barn, where she couldn't hear him; for if she could hear him, she would have not ignored his demanding call. He strode closer to the door when he sensed movement behind him — a gasp, a sniff.

"Hmm," he turned sharply on his heel, and paused as he scanned the room for a child that was hiding. A near transparent shadow, not the shape of a bed rail, could be seen on one side of the bed, contrasting only slightly from the floor boards seen edging the rug. Then an inch of a ruffled cotton petticoat caught his eye.

"Out! get out from underneath there, Now!" he commanded. If he hadn't been so annoyed that the child had ignored him, he would have laughed when he saw the inch of the petticoat slowly drawn back under the bed and out of sight, like it hadn't been seen but only imagined. "Alex I can see you." he announced, frustrated but calmer this time. He knew that she knew the jig was up. Neither one moved; his guess was that Alex was waiting to see what side of the bed his boots would appear at and then would quickly move to the opposite side before appearing. Adam knew his daughter; he was no dummy.

But, neither was Alexandra Willameena Cartwright. She watched her father's boots purposely strut towards one side of the bed, but before she could shimmy away, the heels rocked back, the toes pointed before they pivoted and strutted slightly faster around the bed end and to the other side. Alexandra lay still in the centre of the beds protective canopy and keenly tracked the movements with her eyes. Again, just as the boots stopped abruptly they pivoted and moved faster again around the bed. This went on for another two circuits; the boots getting faster and Alexandra rocking backwards and forwards while on her back and tracking the movements, waiting for the moment she could get out and be on the opposite side of the bed away from her father; that way she would have some time to explain— she hoped. Expecting the boots to be on the move again and aware that her father was most likely speeding this up so she would get confused and catch her off guard, she looked to the foot of the bed quickly. The boots didn't appear and a hurried glance over her left shoulder told her that this time the boots came to a complete stop. She let out a relived sigh and started to shuffle to the freedom of the empty space to her right, but then impulsively hesitated.

Adam could almost hear the kid's wheels turning in her head, as she rolled under the bed to keep up with his cat and mouse game. He had played this one with Little Joe when he was younger and had always managed to win. Little Joe's panic and impatience always overrode his logic. He was sure it would be the case again. He had mastered the art of getting his boots off on the last run, and slam them down hard next to the side of the bed. He would stand perfectly in line with them, masking them from thin sight lines from a hiding place under the bed. He knew the culprit under there would anticipate another move and not notice his leap to the other corner, where a black shirt thrown on the floor would mask his black stocking feet. Adam had to suppress a gloating chuckle when he sensed Alexandra's movement towards the side that he was now nearest to. But then, the slight movement stopped abruptly.

Alexandra instantly became immobile when an object caught her eye at the end on the right corner of the bed. Her father's black shirt was now crumpled on the floor. It hadn't been there before; what was it doing there now, she barely thought to herself? It was a worry; something wasn't quite right— like the fact that one bed post was thicker than the other. Instinct took over and Alexandra rolled to the left side of the bed and scrambled out from underneath it knocking over her father's empty boots as she stood up.

Adam jumped in surprise; outwitted by an eleven-year-old. But, this always worked, he thought to himself. "How did…"

"Gee Dad, how ya do that?" interposed Alex, stealing his words. "I swear I didn't even hear ya take them boots off. Ya must have done it while on the move; you'd make a good Magician or even A Flying Trapeze Artist; even better probably than the best bare Back Trick Rider, corse there ain't much work for them sort of performers outside of the Carnivals; ya can't ride horses around on the stage," she explained, standing with her hands behind her back, swaying innocently; the bed a four-foot-wide space between them.

 **TBC Chapter 2 - Smokescreens**

A.N. Finally got this story started thanks to Lajoci help and insights. Thanks also to Shar-myownlittlewoodchuck for some great debates, insights and laughter.

Bear with with us folks both Lajoci and I are run off our feet. We just don't have enough hours in the day. I am happy to receive any type of review as longs as they are constructive and polite. I take all comments and opinions into account. I do this for fun,but I like how much I'm learning. And, while I have a basic plot hashed out , I'm always looking for ideas and plausible ways to have my characters act in a certain way.


	2. Chapter 2 Smokescreens

**Trail Busters - 6th Story in the Alexandra Series.**

 **Summary** : Marty and Alexandra are a little put out at being left behind, while the Cartwright men go on one of the biggest trail rides in the territory. Frankly, I'm not sure what's going to happen, other than, Adam won't be too happy and Alexandra will have a lot to say… as usual.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Bonanza, or any of its characters. David Dortort and Fred Hamilton created them and played with them for 14 years. The series is owned by NBC.

 **Previously:** Adam discovered his saddle bags prepared for the drive have been unpacked and items missing. He very quickly deduces who is responsible. Alexandra is discovered under the bed trying to avoid her father's displeasure.

 **Chapter 2 Smokescreens**

 **Re- Cap**

Adam jumped in surprise; outwitted by an eleven-year-old. But, this always worked, he thought to himself. "How did…"

"Gee Dad, how ya do that?" interposed Alex, stealing his words. "I swear I didn't even hear ya take them boots off. Ya must have done it while on the move; you'd make a good Magician or even A Flying Trapeze Artist; even better probably than the best bare Back Trick Rider, corse there ain't much work for them sort of performers outside of the Carnivals; ya can't ride horses around on the stage," she explained, standing with her hands behind her back, swaying innocently; the bed a four-foot-wide space between them.

Adam started to move towards her, but then stopped when he realised Alex was about to jump the bed to get away from him. He pinched the bridge of his nose frankly too tired to have to keep chasing the child and then most likely lose his temper — then he'd throttle her! He was also a little disappointed in himself; he had been smug, but the realisation that he was a good ten years older than he had been when Little Joe had tried these same antics- Well, damn it to hell— he was not as flexible or as fit as he used to be.

Adam blew out a mammoth reclaiming breath. He pointed to the messy heap in the centre of his bed, and the upturned saddlebag. "Alex, did you do this?" he asked sternly looking across the small expanse of the bed that separated them.

Alexandra chewed her bottom lip then looked down at the edge of the bedspread and nodded.

"Words, please," demanded Adam.

"Yes dad," she replied whispering softly.

"Why? What were you trying to achieve?" He asked waving his hand over the discarded items. "Other things I packed are also missing! I re- stocked my bag just yesterday. Where are you taking them?"

"I jist… Well, I guess I jist wanted to have things that remind me of you while you are gone. I figured that iffin I kept them, then I wouldn't miss you so much when you're on the trail. Then, I also figured that iffin you didn't have ya saddlebags ready and packed an all, you might hafta wait a bit longer here until ya gots them packed jist right, cause Uncle Joe says you're a perfect-functionist granite head and all, but ya have a lot of stuff ta take don't ya, Dad. I don't know how ya get all them things in ya saddlebags; I was expecting ta find a candelabra in there. Every time I done emptied them bags, there would be more stuff in there…"

"That's because, I thought I was going crazy and kept re-packing and Hop Sing kept re-washing. You, young lady…" he continued pointing at the child.

"Well that makes sense now," interrupted Alex before Adam could deliver a threat. I thought ya saddle bags must been magic; like Ivan The Magnificent' s Oprie hat. It holds all kind of things that wouldn't think could fit into a Oprie hat. Once he pulled out an alligator… it weren't real, though. Looked real. The audience started screamin' and then Ivan puts on this show of him wresting with the alligator. Then, he has it look like the alligator is eating him; its swallowing his legs and all. The audience figure out it's a dummy and they all laugh their heads off anyways, cause Ivan makes it look like he's being munched on. Then…When ya think Ivan's done for, he goes 'abracadabra' and waves his magic wand and an explosion happens and all this smoke takes up the whole stage. It's a smokescreen, Dad, and then when it clears, Ivan's standing there in a pair alligator boots and a fancy alligator vest. The audience laughs real hard. The lovely Delilah comes out and gets the audience to applaud even more. All the while Ivan's pulling more things outta his hat; an alligator purse, and alligator shoes for Delilah, a hat, an astray, and a lamp; a real tall parlour lamp; it jist keeps coming and coming up and up and up. The audience thought it was a real good act."

"As is yours?" scoffed Adam.

"Huh?" queried Alex.

"Okay Alexandra, quit with your own smokescreen."

All the while Alexandra rambled off track like only this little girl could, Adam watched. He was aware that her animated bubbly self was a little more restrained than usual. Adam noted that Alex had been somewhat subdued over the last week since their return from San Francisco. Now while she narrated her tale of Ivan's magical expertise, adding the odd gasp, and vivid descriptions with excitable intonations, he also noticed that Alexandra hardly moved her hands. In fact, she only used one hand every now and again. It was a well-known fact, consistently explained by Alexandra herself, that she needed her hands when talking or rather talking herself out of trouble… well up until now.

"My smokescreen, Dad? I ain't got a smokescreen. Ya hafta use smoke bombs like fireworks and you done told me I'm never allowed to touch fireworks again."

"You aren't allowed to touch any of my things either, young lady. Stealing my things and hiding them away isn't going to keep me from leaving on the trail drive. I'll be just leaving without the things I need. That will make my job harder and much more uncomfortable. Don't you think you are being a little selfish?"

"I guess so, Dad. I'm jist scared that ya won't come back, or you'll get hurt; everybody's going and I don't have no- one here."

"Come here," said Adam softening on hearing her fears. He sat on the edge of the bed.

Alexandra walked around the end of the bed and joined her father; sitting beside him with her hands safely tucked under the bottom. "Im sorry, Dad, I didn't mean ta make extra work for Hop Sing or you. I jist don't want ya ta go at all. I want you to stay with me."

"I know, sweetheart, but we've talked about this. This year it's the Cartwright's turn to lead the big drive. That means Hop Sing's turn to lead chuck wagon. There are others that will join up with us over the next few days. I have to be Ramrod. And, we need as many hands as we can to drive five different herds to market. The livelihood of all the ranchers around here depend on it; it's their livelihood as much as ours. We share the work and the load, and everybody gets a good market price for their herd. Its only three weeks; it will pass in no time."

"I guess so," sighed Alexandra.

"Good girl. Now, have you packed your bags to go to Mrs O'Shaunassey, tomorrow?"

"Yes Dad. I packed all my chore and play clothes."

"Oh so that's why you're wearing a dress today… though your Sunday best is probably overdoing it."

Alexandra hated wearing dresses most of the time. When she first came to the Ponderosa, the child had insisted she was a boy. Adam had finally got her to wear dresses and a smock to school, but most weekends and after school she wore dungarees or overalls. Sunday was the only other day she would wear a dress and she did that for Ben. Her grandfather had purchased several pretty dresses that she could wear to Sunday services. Alexandra hated them; they were pretty flower printed dresses; this one had pink and burgundy sprays of small petals and leaves. Alex had owned a green one once with a matching bonnet, but it had disappeared some time back. The bonnet ended up on the head of a small calf, a hunting band of Bannocks had found near the creek.

"I figured iffin I wear a good dress now and the petticoat, I won't hafta take it with me," smiled Alexandra. "Especially now that I'm not staying in town with that Old Big Bu… ahh, Mrs Willburn Sticky Nose. She'd want me in a dress and petticoats and ribbons every single day!" declared Alex with disgust.

"Okay, that's fair enough. You're out on the farm with Mrs O'Shaunassey. If you need a good dress, you can stop by here and get one later. I'll come and check your packing later. In The meantime, and you can help me re-pack my bags." Adam started to neatly fold the shirts and pack them in his bags. Alexandra handed him objects as he called them out. "Two pairs of thick socks."

Alexandra grabbed the ball of a pair of thick black woollen socks and placed then in her fathers outstretched hand. "There's only one pair here, Dad. I know where the other pair is though."

"Where?'

"My bag," smiled Alex sheepishly.

"Go and get them, and bring anything else of mine you have in there," he ordered.

Alexandra ran across the hall from his room to hers to gather the items she had hidden over the past week.

Irritated, but trying to remain patient, Adam continued to pack his saddle bags, mentally checking off the items. He grabbed the shaving kit, nearly forgetting about the missing razor. He searched among the last of the items on the bed, but didn't find it. He then got on his hands and knees and searched the floor around and under the bed. There in the corner edged underneath the rug was his razor. He pulled it out and found it neatly closed, though not in its leather case; it lay discarded some inches away. He was suspicious. "Alexandra!" he yelled across the hall. "You weren't playing with my razor, were you?"

"Playing?... ah no dad, I haven't been playing with your razor," came the muffled reply from Alexandra's room.

"Hmm, I guess it could have fallen off the bed," he mumbled to himself. Adam had been rummaging through the pile, so concluded that he could have knocked it off. He slid it in its leather case and tucked it in with the rest of the kit, before putting it back in his saddle bag.

Adam's concentration was interrupted when Alexandra returned to his room. He turned at the sound of her mumbled heaving noises to find the child swaying in the door way, holding a stack of clothes that towered over her head. "What on earth…" he grumbled as he ran to help before they all toppled over. "Alexandra, I can't believe you smuggled all these from my bags," he stated frowning.

Alexandra mumbled something; her face stuck against a pile of shirts and pullovers. Adam quickly halved the pile and place them on the bed. He turned and asked again, this time his eyebrows raised in annoyance and expectation of a truthful answer. "You were saying?"

"No Dad, I took some from your drawers. I packed some in my bag, to take with me, ceptin I couldn't exactly decide whether ta take a shirt, ya socks or your mustard pullover. I decided on the pullover, cause it smelt most like you, well so did ya socks, but it weren't the nice smell of you, even though Hop Sing done washed them real good, there's no getting ya stinky feet smell outta of it completely."

' _This child will be the death of me'_ he thought… well maybe not death, but she was exhausting. "Right then, you can just help me pack it all away neatly again. And if any of it has to re-laundered, Hop Sing won't be doing it— you will; every last dirty smelling sock I own," he growled, landing a swat to her backside as she passed him.

Alexandra, jumped with surprise, not so much because of the sting; she had her Sunday best dress on; petticoats and all. Unfortunately, the pile of clothes she had been left holding fell to the floor. At least she thought; it wasn't about the razor. She hadn't been playing with it, but she did take a look at it. Her Dad had obviously accepted her answer and forgotten about it. Relived somewhat, she let her reprieve motivate her runaway mouth. "Jumping Jehoshaphat, Dad, now look what ya made me do!" She exclaimed. "Ya dam near made me drop em all, theys were all clean and pressed, now I'll have to…"

Alexandra didn't get a chance to finish her sassing. Adam grabbed her by the arm and hoisted her over one knee that he'd propped up on the bedrail, and added another swat to her well-padded backside. "That's enough cussing, little lady!"

"Jumping Jehoshaphat, ain't cussing, Dad, grandpa says it all the time!"

"But, damn is." Realising that she would not have felt a thing underneath all that material, he flipped her printed dress up, then her petticoat and landed a hard swat to her cotton clad pantaloons. He went to add another one, when he suddenly noticed a bloodstain on the seat of her britches. His hand stopped suddenly mid-air. He flipped back her petticoats and found a corresponding stain there as well. Then came her dress; he couldn't find the stain there, though it was hard to tell with all the printed posies. "Alexandra your bleeding," he announced, as he quickly put her feet back on the floor.

Alexandra's eyes filled up with tears; knowing she had been found out, though her father's concern confused her somewhat; she thought he'd be angry.

Adam was indeed confused; he had forgotten about the razor; resigned to the fact that it had been found closed, he dismissed the idea that Alexandra could have been playing with it and of course she had denied it. And there was the fact that the blood was only on her bloomers and petticoats, so the rational conclusion was that Alexandra had started… had become… a woman. No wonder she had appeared not quite herself. Alexandra's tears and innocent baby face left him feeling anything but rational about this; how was he going to explain all this to her. She was only eleven. He was certain they had at least another two years before Alexandra would start puberty. Plus, she was small and physically immature for her age. _God help me with this one_. He silently prayed. He turned Alex around to face him. "Are you okay, baby?" he asked.

With one hand Alexandra wiped the tears away from her cheeks. "I'm sorry Dad, I didn't know… what… to do…I was hopin it would stop, but it didn't. I done ripped the bottom of my petticoat off a bit ta make a bandage, cause I heard that's what they had ta do in them Indian attacks on the wagon train. All the mothers and the women rip up their petticoats to make bandages. And, one time in Elk, there was a cave in at the mine; no one died, but a lot of people got hurts. Momma and Grandmamma theys turned the gambling room into a infirmortory and everyone done tore up their petticoats to bandaged the miners up. All the lady's in Elk done had real short petticoats for near a year. Anyway, I tried ta stop it bleeding, but I guess some got on my clothes."

"Not to worry, that can happen sometimes. Have you got a tummy ache?" he asked.

Alexandra thought that a strange question, but funnily enough she did. "Yes a bit," she said. "My bag got kinda heavy when I had all that stuff in it. I reckon I pulled a muscle or something."

"That's not why you have a tummy ache, or why you are bleeding. It will stop and the tummy ache will too. I'll ask Marty about what we can do for that. And in a couple of days the bleeding should stop and you'll be right as rain," he smiled.

"A coupla days! Dad, I don't reckon it will take that long," said Alexandra. "I'll run outta blood!"

"No, you won't. The body replaces what you lose anyway. It maybe won't bleed that long this time; your first time; but next time it might be a little longer; then with each month there might be more blood, but it's all very natural sweetheart. It's taking the first steps on to the path to becoming a woman"

"What!... I don't want to become a woman!" Alex yelled mortified. "I wanna be a boy like Momma was. She was a boy when ya first done met her didn't ya. And, what do ya mean it's gonna bleed again each month; I'll bleed ta death iffin I keep bleeding… I'll be careful, from now on, Dad. Is that what happens when ya become a man too? Is that why ya have ta shave? Do you bleed every time ya even touch it Dad; every time ya shave?"

"What? No. No. I'm not explaining this very well, am I." Adam had grown up in a house full of men. Marie had explained some of the ways of women's cycles and things to him when she was having Joseph. He was the oldest, but it was an embarrassing conversation. Marie with her southern gentle ways had kept it short, but told him it was important for him to understand how a women's body was; that one day as a husband he would need to sympathetic to his wife and her discomfort, inconvenience and the pain she would experience, so that they could procreate. She then very wisely handed Adam a book that explained the whole ordeal… and more. He wished he had that book now. "Look why don't we finish this packing later. Perhaps Hop Sing can get you something for your tummy ache. What about a nice bath… oh I wonder if you should bath…" God why can't I remember what you're supposed to do." _Get a grip Adam,_ he silently scolded himself; _it's a natural part of growing up - one you should be able to handle logically and sensitively with your daughter… your little girl… oh but she's just a baby._

Alexandra looked at her father's worried expression. "It's alright dad, I'll be alright. Don't worry about me while you're gone. I'll be okay. I'll jist make more bandages iffin it keeps bleedin."

"Oh the trail drive… gee Um, maybe I could stay back a day or two just to make sure you're alright; after all I'm your father; your only living parent," he said with a concerned look on his face.

"Don't worry dad, momma is in a happy place now, but I'm real glad you're staying, even iffin I think it's a bit silly. Maybe ya can stay until Marty gets back from the Devlin's; after all she's gonna be my other parent too and soon."

Adam smiled. "You know what a great kid you are; you always bounce back don't you. Come on we'll see what Hop Sing can do for you and then I think we need to have a big long talk about what happens to our bodies when start becoming a grown -up."

Alexandra shrugged and let her father lead her down the hallway to the stairs. As they neared the landing they heard a knock on the door and watched it open.

"Yoo hoo, anybody home?"

"Marty!" exclaimed Alexandra as she took off down the stairs.

"Not so fast Alex, you shouldn't be running in the house. In fact, I don't think you should be running at all in your state."

Alexandra took no notice as she hugged Marty fiercely. "I thought you were at the Devlin's."

Marty smiled taking her riding gloves off as she entered the room. She was dressed in her riding skirt and a blue patterned shirt front with matching leather vest. "I head up there in the morning. Hop Sing invited me for dinner before everybody heads off on the drive tomorrow. I thought I'd give Dreamer a bit of a run too. He's doing really well with Dan. He thinks he might take him on the drive for an extra mount. He lets both Dan and Mitch ride him, so he'll be a handy addition."

"You're coming back for me too aren't you, Marty. I'm staying with Mrs O'Shaunassey."

"Yep, I'll be there Thursday and then you can ride back up to the Devlin's with me. I'm helping Dan get ready for the drive. He's going to meet up with your daddy in a day or two."

Adam moved over to Marty and embraced her and his daughter who had still not let go. He kissed Marty on the cheek. "Actually I'm glad you're here; I could use your help with a little women's business."

"Oh?" she smiled, "And, once I help with that can I get a proper hello and goodbye kiss?" she asked with a laugh.

Adam smiled and kissed her ear softly. "More than happy to accommodate you there… I promise it will keep you going for the next three weeks," he whispered. He pulled back giving Marty a wink then chuckled at Marty's flushed cheeks.

"You better put your lips where your mouth is, Ramrod," she smirked.

Adam chuckled again. "Come on the boys will be home soon, let's go into the kitchen, and I'll explain what's going on. I'm sure Hop Sing will be able to help." explained Adam as he led both his women through the dining room towards the kitchen.

"Yeah Miss Marty, I'm gonna be a woman in a coupla days. I don't want too. Dad's gonna stay jist in case, so at least that's a good thing."

Marty frowned in confusion. "A woman? Just in case of what?" asked Marty as the three disappeared around the dining rooms archway.

~oOo~

No sooner had Adam entered the kitchen and started to explain his dilemma to Hop Sing and Marty, then he heard the door to the big room open as the rest of his family arrived home. Leaving Alexandra in Marty's capable hands, he went back into the great room to greet them and to inform them that dinner may be a little late as well as his decision to stay home for a few extra days.

"Hey there big brother," happily sung Hoss. "The herds already ta move come first light. May need to round up a few strays and there's a couple of calf that need to be branded, if we decide their strong enough for the drive. Shouldn't take more than an hour iffin they do."

"We got four men riding boundaries till midnight then a changeover organised till dawn," added Little Joe as they hung their hats, coats and gun belts up above the credenza.

"Well I can do one of those shifts; relieve one of the men for the morning," said Adam.

"Adam, the men we've picked will be fine," said Ben. "You don't need to be there. You'll need your sleep for tomorrow. I admire you for taking your duties seriously and wanting to set a good example, but…"

"Hey, when's supper gonna be ready?" interrupted Hoss." We got an early start this morning. I wanna get to…"

Adam addressed Hoss before turning back to his father. "Hop Sing has supper almost ready, Hoss, but he's helping Marty with something first." He then faced his father and followed him towards the big red chair. "Pa, I know the men are reliable, but I know until the Devlin's and the Johnson's meet us in two days' time, we're gonna be shorthanded. And, now I have a problem with Alex, and well… I may need to stay home for a couple of days and meet up with you at the pass. Pa will you be able to ramrod for the time being?"

"Hey, what's wrong with Pip Squeak?" Asked Joe.

"She ain't sick is she? I know she's been a bit quiet lately and the little possums being worried about ya going, I thought it was just her thinkin about missing ya," queried Hoss.

"Adam it's probably just a little nervous stomach. Marty and Hop Sing will know what to do," advised Ben.

"No well its more than that Pa… its… well… it's something that maybe I should be here for that's all."

Hoss looked worried and started to make his way to the kitchen.

"Wait Hoss, it's sort of a private thing…"

"What?" asked Hoss, stopping in front of Joe and Ben in turn, frowning as they looked to Adam for an explanation.

"Well Alex is… well she's… busting out of the cacoon of childhood and becoming a butterfly," announced a red-faced Adam.

"Huh?" all three chorused.

Adam scrubbed at his jaw. "She's a little out of sorts…changing… she's started her … courses."

"What, school doesn't go back for another six weeks," asked a confused Joe. "No wonder she's out of sorts, I wouldn't like havin to go to school over the summer either; a kid looks forward to…"

"No Joe, I think Adam means that Alex has started menstruating," interpreted Ben.

"Oh… Oh! Well, then why didn't you say so older wise brother. You of all people shouldn't be afraid to say the proper word for it."

"It?" asked Hoss. "I don't get what's going on here…"

"Our little Alex has come into season… like young mares do."

"Don't associate Alex with a horse, Little Joe," frowned Adam.

Joe laughed. "Well you're the one thats got all embarrassed about it, Adam."

"Yeah it's jist nature, Adam," explained Hoss.

"Yes, but she very young, and well I'm not sure how to handle it. I missed her babyhood and early childhood— and now I'm jumping into this stage. I'm not ready."

Joe laughed again. "You never had any problem explaining things to me, though I'm still confused over a lot of things about women. It sure is funny to see you floundering though."

"It's hard to find the right words with, Alexandra," qualified Adam, throwing his arms in the air. "She reads all sorts of things into explanations on any topic. I don't want her to be confused, or scared."

It was Bens turn to smile this time. "Using the right words and keeping it simple is the best way, Adam. I remember Marie used to call it the malaise… or sometimes, she'd call it Falling off the Roof; a term she learnt from her old southern Grandmother. You're a good father Adam, and you'll make a good husband, all you boys will. While women's business is private, and most of us men folk don't talk about it, it's good you are aware of women's needs, and support them."

"Thanks Pa," chorused all three of younger men.

"Well, I think maybe you should stay home, for a day. The schedule is pretty tight, but as long as you're at the pass when we're ready to roll all the herds, we'll manage," said Ben.

"Thanks Pa. It's a bit hard to know what to do; make a fuss or treat it as all very normal."

Ben moved over to his bourbon decanter and started pouring his sons a pre-dinner drink. "Alexandra will let you know, I'm sure of that Adam," laughed Ben. "Though I think with her feeling a little vulnerable at the moment; you being here will be important." He handed a shot to Hoss and then offered Adam a glass. "Being around, is a lesson I learnt a long time ago, thanks to you, Adam. Your instincts are always pretty much on point."

Adam nodded in appreciation of his father honesty and praise, then sipped his drink as Ben returned to pour himself and Joe a small glass. Joe screwed up his face a little when Ben offered him the half shot, then smiled; at least he was included, and well on his way to being considered a young man and no longer a boy. All four men now stood by the fireplace when Marty walked in with a very sheepish looking Alexandra.

"We all good?" asked Adam.

Marty looked at all four men and the drinks in their hands. She smirked a little when they all blushed slightly, realising what they had probably discussed what was happening. She had to give them credit. She came from a family of all boys; the youngest girl. Her father had died in a mine disaster; the same one that crippled her grandfather. Her mother had died before the necessary talk mothers and daughters should have had. Thankfully when that time came, she had her grandmother and Annie, her friend and the family's housemaid and cook, along with Wilton; a wise Aboriginal woman who told stories of the why of women's business and the miracle of birth bestowed to women and their closer connection to earth. Her brothers never treated her with kit cloves either. She did what was expected and carried her fair share of the work around the homestead and large cattle station. Her brothers were the best in the world. And, in her opinion, these three Cartwright men came in as equals.

"False alarm, family," specified Marty. "Nothing to worry about yet," she smiled.

"Huh," chuckled Hoss, "Son of Gun, Adam, ya done jumped the gun," he teased.

"Yeah big brother you got yourself all worked up about courses and butterfly's and cocoons over nothing," said Little Joe, still enjoying the immense discomfort of his usually articulate and controlled older brother.

Marty shook her head. "Well, when the time does come, Alex will be a little less confused; we had a bit of a talk."

Adam cocked his head sideways and looked at Alexandra. "Oh, well that's good. So then, how did blood get on her clothes?"

Marty pushed Alex forward. "Alexandra the gig is up. and you have something to tell your dad, don't you?"

Alex sighed and moved forward. "Ya had me scared dad, though I kinda like the idea about becoming a butterfly, ifin I could be a little girl with butterfly parts— wings so that I could fly. Wouldn't it be great iffin we could fly? I could fly over the herd when you was on the trail jist to check on Y'all and then fly back home; ya wouldn't hafta worry about me at all. And if iffin you could fly then you could fly back and visit me. Somebody should think of a way to make people fly. Ya still have ta do things on the ground of course, cause cows don't fly and I like riding my horse on the ground. When I was…"

"Alexandra," warned Marty, interrupting the child's tirade and thwarting the giggles coming from Joe and Hoss.

Alex craned her head back and looked up into Marty's face with a pleading expression. Marty just threw one of her own back at Alex; hers came with a slightly raised left eyebrow and pursed lips.

 _My lord_! thought Alexandra, _Marty's been hanging around Dad too much, her eyebrows are started ta get a life of their own too, ceptin hers aren't so bushy's as dad's. I wonder why? I wonder how she gets them ta be all thin like and curvy at the top? And she ain't got any hair in between them, on the bridge of her nose like Dad has, though I have seen dad shaving them…_ She dropped her head back down and looked at her father's eyebrows frowning. _"_ So, dad shaves the in-between part of his eyebrows so it don't look like he has caterpillar crawling across his forehead. So we all start of as caterpillars, an boys grow inta hairier caterpillars and girls grow inta butterfly's. " she thought out loud.

Joe got a fit of giggles.

"Caterpillar?" quizzed Adam, but then shook his head; he wasn't going to ask and start Alexandra off again. "Alexandra, what do you have to tell me?"

Alexandra put her head down and pulled her arms from around her back and held up a well-padded bandaged finger; her middle finger.

"Words please?' ordered Adam tersely; realising now where the blood had come from. The other shoe was about to drop.

"I cut my self on your razor, dad. I ain't no butterfly. Jist a caterpillar like you, ceptin I don't have as much hair…"

Joe and Hoss lost control at this point and belly laughed so loud, that Ben cast them a scathing look that sent then bowling over each other to the kitchen and out of the way.

"Ahh!" Adam held up his hand to stop Alex. "No, just a naughty little girl, who also lied to me."

"I wasn't playing with your razor dad. I was jist pulling it out when it fell and came out of its pouch. And then…"

"And, so then you opened it up and had a closer look at it," surmised Adam, putting all the clues together now.

"I jist wanted ta see how it opened and closed, and then it bit me. And it started bleeding something fierce and stinging. I put my finger in my mouth, but then I got blood on my dress when I tried to dry my spit off."

"That's why you are not to touch it; it's very sharp. It could have sliced your finger off. You know you are not touch it, and when I asked; you said you hadn't played with it… Played with it, touched it; is the same thing. You knew you should have answered honestly and not played semantics. We've had this discussion before, now go to your room."

"I guess this means you ain't staying home now for the next couple of days."

"It does, but we will talk about that too… now go," said Adam firmly, before pointing to the stairs.

Alexandra did as she was told and climbed the stairs quickly, suspecting everyone's eyes and disappointment followed her.

Hoss and Joe both returned from the kitchen sipping a glass of water each, still trying to contain their giggling fits. Hop Sing pushed past them and appeared at the head of the dining room table. "Dinner ready in five minutes. Everybody wash up now. Little miss needs to eat too," he said pointing to the stairs. "Needs to replace blood loss and know family will miss her," said Hop Sing trying to make a point.

Adam turned to Marty, "Was it a bad cut?"

"No, it had already started to heal pretty well, but it bled a lot as fingers often do at first." Marty laughed, "Alex wrapped it up pretty firmly with a strip from her petticoat."

"I didn't even notice her wrapped finger. I did notice that she wasn't as animated with her hands as usual; little minx," scoffed Adam with some good humour, now that Alexandra had left the room.

"I'm surprised you didn't put two and two together, Adam, especially if you noticed the razor missing. You need some of my detective skills. There are some very basic tells you missed there, big brother," offered Joe.

Adam smirked. Joe was right. "Well I guess. I did just panic a little. I mean the time will come, but I was just not expecting it. I didn't make the connections between the razor and the torn petticoats."

Ben laughed and shook his head. "Come on let's eat dinner."

"You start; I want to settle this with Alexandra now. Hop Sing's right; she needs to know that all is normal with the way things are and going to be."

"You're not going to be too hard on her, Adam," said Hoss. "She's been through a whole heap lately."

"Not too hard, but she's needs to be honest and accountable. Alexandra has been warned and I need to carry through. I'll be handing out a few short reminders of those expectations that's all," said Adam as he turned and gave Marty a quick kiss on her cheek. "Thanks for all your help. I'll be back soon," he said before heading up the stairs.

~oOo~

Adam tapped lightly on Alex's closed door and entered. The little girl was sitting on her bed twiddling with her clean bandage. Adam noticed her packed saddle bags hanging over the chair of her small desk. He walked in and set them down on the ground and placed the chair in front of her. "Got anything to say before I smack your bottom," he asked as he stood there, his fingers hooked into the belt of his dungarees.

"No," sighed Alex resigned to her fate.

Adam cocked his head to one side and lowered it so that he could see Alexandra's down cast expression. "That's unusual for you — no defence speech?"

"I don't want ya ta get bamboozled, dad. Molly used say I was good at bamboozling folks ta get ma self out of trouble."

"You are good at that," he smirked.

Alexandra looked up at her father with a serious countenance on her face. "Well I don't want ta bamboozle ya dad, I've done it afore and I seen it makes ya madder at me and ya get all cross-eyed and tired looking…" Alexandra sent both her bright green eyes crossing to the corners adding a visual to her description. "And, I don't want ya ta be tired afore you go away, cause that will make you go slow and take more time getting the job done and getting back home."

Adam put his hand over his mouth, trying not to laugh at her face. He sat down on the chair, throwing one long leg over the other. "Well maybe a sorry will be a good place to start."

"Yes I'm sorry, dad. Mostly for lying to ya. I want ya ta trust me. I want ya ta believe that I will always try ta do good."

"I know that you try to good. But, you don't always plan things well and then you get distracted and forget the rules. That's something all children can do at one time or another, but lying is not acceptable. You know how I feel about that."

"Yes dad. I'm real sorry about that. I was so pre – porcupined about you leaving me all alone for the next three weeks, that I jist didn't think I was lying. It's all in the details ain't it."

"Yep it is."

"And you wouldna been mad at me and sent me ta bed without supper and then I wouldn't even had got to say goodbye ta everyone and… "

"Alexandra," interrupted Adam. "You are not going to be alone. And, it would have ended here with you getting a couple of swats for touching the razor… carelessly otherwise you wouldn't have cut yourself. Then it would have been over and done. And then we could have all gone down had supper together. But instead you lied about it."

Alexandra looked at her father with big sad eyes. "So you don't trust me no more."

"I trust that you try. I know you respect me and your elders. I know that you love me and I know you know that I love you, that everybody does. But, I don't trust you to do the right thing when you've got some other planning and scheming going on in that little head of yours."

Alexandra looking down in the mouth nodded in understanding.

"Right then," said Adam as he pulled his little girl up from the bed and put her over his knee. He lifted up her dress and torn petticoats before applying three sharp hard smacks to the seat of her pantaloons. "That's for touching the razor," he announced before stopping.

Alexandra kicked and yelped with each smack, but was somewhat relived that was all she was going to receive for her misdemeanour.

Adam hesitated before lifting Alexandra up to stand between his feet.

Alexandra scrubbed at her tears. "I guess I better get into my nightdress and get inta bed now," she stated.

"No," said Adam. This time as he pulled her forward, he grabbed the tie of her pantaloons and releasing the waist band before putting her again across his knee. He pulled her britches down to reveal her bare bottom, noticing the light pink marks left by his hand moments before. Then slowly and deliberately he applied four very sharp smacks to her bare backside. "This," he said, as he laid down each swat, "is … for… lying…"

Alex squealed with each smarting slap to her bare skin, twisting and squirming and trying to avoid being smacked in the same spot, but to no avail. Adam had a strong hold and timed the intervals like the old pro he was when it came to dishing out a well-deserved spanking to a mischievous child. Joe had given him plenty of practice. When he was finished he put Alexandra once again on her feet and held her hands so she couldn't rub her backside. It didn't stop her bouncing on the balls of her feet though, and her pantaloons soon found themselves pooled at her ankles.

"Dad," sniffed Alexandra. "Ya…sniff, sniff… hurting my sore finger," cried Alexandra.

Adam let go of her injured hand. "Well we can't have that; wouldn't want that to take your mind off your smarting backside," said Adam, trying to lighten the situation. Using his thumb to wipe away the last of her tears, he added softly. "I want you to remember this; remember lying is never acceptable."

"Looking at razors ain't a smart idea either dad," stated Alex still sniffing. "My finger really does hurt as much as my bottom."

"Hmm well an added incentive to the lesson then. Come on, lets wash up and get ourselves ready for supper."

Alexandra used her sleeve to dry her wet cheeks, hic-cupping as the last of her sobs subsided. "So, hic, I get ta have the, hic, last supper with everyone? Like the, hic, Apostrophes did with, hic, Jesus," she stuttered.

"I don't think it's going to be that dramatic," laughed Adam. He pulled her towards him and rubbed her back, trying to calm her breathing and stop the hiccups a good cry often initiates. His intuition told him that the tears were more about him going away and the guilt about her wrong doing than the actual spanking. "Here let me help you," he said, pulling up the pooled undergarment and retying the drawstring.

"Thanks, Dad, my fingers don't tie so good with this big bandage on." Adam led her over to the wash basin. He soaked a clean flannel, and handed it to Alexandra to wash her face. "You've been punished by me because you lied to me. It's done and you are forgiven. Not letting you join us as a family before we have to be separated for a while wouldn't be fair to you or us. We're family and we stick together through thick or thin. We will always love you no matter what. We might get disappointed, or angry or sad about naughty things you do, or mistakes you make, but we will always love you and honour your place in our family. I know you are worried about being without at least one familiar face around here, but that's just the way it's got to be this time. There might be other times it's like that, but they won't be too often, I promise."

Alexandra handed back the face cloth and smiled up at her father. "Would you have really stayed home iffin I had become a woman?" she asked.

"Yes, if I thought you wanted me too. I'd like to think that I will always be here if you need me, no matter what it is," said Adam tweaking her nose.

"That's real good of ya, dad, though Marty told me it ain't all that bad for most women; its jist annoyin', and it don't mean I can't do most of the things I normally do, so I reckon when the time comes I'll be okay, Dad. Corse I'm in no hurry; when I was little I always thought ya had a choice whether ta be a man or a woman when ya growed up. I always wanted ta be a man, cause they look like they have more fun, like riding and shootin, and drinking and standin' up ta pee…"

"Alex!" scolded Adam. "It's isn't always fun Alex. Just like things aren't always fun for women. We all work hard in a family. We all do what we do best."

"I wonder what I'm gonna do best, dad."

"There's plenty of time to figure that one out, little miss. For now, just be your best at being honest with me and the grown-ups of this family," said Adam leading her towards the door.

"Okay, Dad. Hey maybe I can be the best at inventin' stuff; like what iffin ya could make a road that could jist roll out and then it could move and take you where ya want ta go. Ya could jist punch in some numbers, like a secret code and the road would just unravel from a big machine and take you the spot. Then when ya wanted ta come home it's just rolls back and you move in backwards. Or I could invent moving stairs, so iffin ya had somethink heavy ta carry you wouldn't hafta lift ya knees up so high, they could have moving stairs that went up and moving stairs that went down. You could wave ta people as ya went past. It would be real good for old people too, or fat people that get real tired hafta walk upstairs. Mayra the beaded lady she was real big too and she got real tied walking up just three little steps. That's probably why she didn't shave, she was too tired but grandpa William wouldn't let her shave cause she was a major attraction."

"Maybe she was bitten when playing with a razor when she was a little girl," alleged Adam.

"Hey, Ya think?" Alexandra asked surprised and then rubbed her chin with a frown. Gee, I don't think I want to be a beared lady when I grow up, even though Mayra said it was a ludicrous career."

"You mean lucrative, Alex. She made good wages doing that job."

"Oh, yeah, but still, I think I'd look funny with a beard."

"I think you would too, but I'd still love you." Adam laughed and picked up his dawdling chatty daughter, kissed her cheek and flung her over his shoulder. "Maybe you should be a science fiction writer."

~oOo~

Dinner was a fun affair. Even Hop Sing joined them at the table during desert to discuss the final schedules and jobs in the morning. Alexandra was very excited too, as she was going to be able to spend the morning with Hop Sing and the crew while they gathered the last of the strays, and branded any new calves that would be strong enough to take the trip. Hop Sing's chuck wagon was all packed and ready to go, but he'd be on site in the morning to offer fresh coffee while they were doing the last of those jobs. Alexandra was to be the water boy or coffee boy; delivering fresh cups to the different crews. She offered to help with the roping of the calves, but that idea was quickly dismissed by her father. They were adhering to tight schedules and she wasn't experienced in roping calves. Besides that, she was to stay away from the branding fires completely.

Seeing her face drop, the rest of the family went about making sure she felt included. Marty told her not to worry that when she came to stay with her that she would give her a few lessons on roping calves. Hop Sing then re-iterated that her job in the morning was just as important. Hoss talked about everybody working as a team, and family teams were the best, because everybody did what they could do really well while looking out for each other. Joe reminded her that everybody always starts off at the bottom of the jobs on a cattle drive, like him riding drag for the last couple of years. He also told her that when he was her age, he wasn't even allowed anywhere near the roping let alone the branding. But, he was glad that she was gonna be there; part of the family enterprise and that she was going to be there to see them all off with warm bellies and the memory of her smile. That comment had the whole family chuckling including Adam, who appreciated the extra lengths his family and Marty were going to reduce Alexandra fears and have her involved in some way.

The plan was that once they got the herd moving, Hop Sing was to head off to O'Shaunassey', to drop off Alexandra and pick up the extra eggs Mrs O'Shaunassey had gathered for him. Then Hop Sing would meet up at the pass and follow the herd to first camp. Adam pulled out the map of the trail, making sure Hop Sing knew which trails he was to take from O'Shaunassey'. They reviewed the rendezvous point for the Devlin's, the McKlintock's, the Wilson's and the herds. Most of them would arrive at the gap within two days. The Devlin's would be the last to arrive, while the McKlintock's and the Ponderosa herds would be the first by early morning on day two.

Alexandra and the rest of the family were very happy to head to bed, in preparation of

the early and busy morning ahead. Alexandra flew into her room and double checked her saddle bags to make sure she wasn't leaving anything behind. She grabbed the small lasso rope Hoss had braided for Erica, her pet cow. She tied that onto her saddle bags, so she'd have it to take when Marty picked her up later in the week. Alexandra quickly changed into her night dress and jumped into bed. It was still quite light with the clear summer night and a full moon beaming in the window. Alexandra got up to close the curtains, so she could sleep. Looking out the window she spotted her father and Marty sitting on the cushioned bench seat on the guest room's veranda. They were sipping another coffee and laughing. Alexandra opened the hatch a little curious as to what was so funny.

"Thank you for tonight, "whispered Adam, before taking a sip of his coffee. "I really appreciated your help with Alexandra and the women's business."

Marty rested her tea cup in her hand. "No thank you. I love that little girl. Alexandra and I are developing a good relationship." Marty nudged Adam slightly. "Even though it was a false alarm on your part," she giggled. "It was a good little session for Alexandra and I. Dinner was good too. Everyone made Alexandra feel involved. I felt very much part of the family with us all sitting around at the table discussing the plans."

Adam took Marty's empty tea cup and his now empty coffee cup and sat them on the small table next to the rustic garden bench seat they were sitting on. He moved closer and put his arms around Marty's shoulders. "You are part of the family: you are to be my wife," he smiled, before leaning in to gently kiss her cheek. He quickly moved from her cheek towards her lips and placed another warm kiss there.

Marty reciprocated with a longer kiss of her own, then leaned in close to Adam, making her self-cosy in the crock of his arm and laid her head on his chest. She played with the button on his shirt. "It was a good idea of yours to have Alexandra help in the morning with Hop Sing before going to Mrs O'Shaunassey' s house," commented Marty.

Adam nodded his head. "I thought of it after Alexandra and I had our little talk before supper. She's anxious about me going away. The kids been stealing supplies from my saddle bags, thinking it would delay the evitable. I don't want her to be afraid that I'll abandon her, but to realise that we all have work to do and we can't always be together."

"But we all can be involved in different ways," added Marty.

"Yep, and I can't wait to get more involved with you," he added, with a devilish playful grin. He leant in again and kissed Marty longer and more passionately this time. He rested his head on hers drawing Marty in closer. He rubbed her arm slowly matching the rhythm to circular movements her hand was making on his chest.

Marty felt the energy of that kiss shoot right down into her belly where a flutter of air bubbles travelled. She blushed, shy of her own lust, then attempted to dampen it with her wit. "Oh really. Well you may be just too tired after three weeks on the trail. You're a lot older than me, you may need a whole week to recuperate."

"I'll be thirty this coming birthday. I'm hardly that much older than you," he scoffed.

Marty fluttered her eyelashes. "Six years is a big gap, Adam, when you compare it to a dependent, venerable and petite, inexperienced to hard work female, sitting and waiting with baited breath, until her strong big hard working old cowboy comes home with the goods," she delivered melodramatically; like a damsel in distress.

Adam laughed heartily, "You are hardly dependent, Mrs Strawn, or inexperienced to hard work. Are you trying to bamboozle me as Alex would put it?"

Marty laughed and asked, "But, I'm vulnerable?"

"No sweet and trusting, but it's a hard life out here. I wish you'd be a little more cautious; both with people you don't know and with some of the work you do, like helping Dan with his round – up. That's all."

"I'm quite capable Adam. Besides Dan is totally trustworthy and we've been taking Dreamers training slowly and with caution. Dan also doesn't have the means to hire many men, so me helping out has been good. His oldest is only thirteen, and will most likely join him on the drive next year. However, as far as I am concerned, I've been helping my family with cattle drives since I was fourteen. We all helped. We were so far away, that most families, kids, mums and dads helped with driving their herds to market, and took the opportunity to stay up in the big towns while we were there. I can rope, ride, and brand with the best of them," boasted Marty.

"The best of them?" smirked Adam trying to keep the conversation light hearted.

"Yes, Mr Smarty Pants. I can. Of course there are things I can't physically do and things I'm just not good at, but one thing my brothers taught me was don't do a job you're not comfortable with or competent at. It's dangerous for you and your fellow workers."

"Well there you are then!"

"What do you mean?" frowned Marty.

"Ahh I mean… I'm sure you are capable and equal to some of the men we are taking with us, but this is a big drive, not just a family affair this time, so we need experienced men at each of the different jobs. I also would be uncomfortable with you around men that I don't know very well."

"So… I could be a distraction?"

"Yes, you would to me anyway," he smirked, now trying to bring the conversation around to the earlier sweet talk of romance.

"Hmm trying to sweet talk me, now? So when we are married, and there are smaller drives with just Ponderosa stock, I'll be able to come along and help? I could help in lots of ways, besides roping and riding heard. I could also be a medic for one thing. I can cook. Bush donuts are my speciality."

"I'd think about it," said Adam.

"What about Alexandra," asked Marty.

"Oh, I don't know about that. Maybe when she was older; more mature and has a few more skills; I'd think about it…It was nice of you to offer to teach her some things while we are away, though I'd like her try more feminine pursuits. I want her to grow up a lady… not necessarily a refined Boston socialite, but… "

Marty, huffed interrupting Adam. "I am feminine and I pursue my interests based on my skill and passion, not my gender."

"You're getting mad about this now aren't you? I didn't mean you aren't a lady… or feminine… Look, I know there's a women's movement going on here, and I don't know what it's like in Australia, but in this country in the 1860's, the man is still head of his house. He makes decisions based on the needs and safety of his family."

"In my Country; it's the same… I also come from a very long line of stubborn Scottish males; the Lairds of the manor, so yes it's the same, and historically there has been good reasons for that to be the case, but we were also settling and developing a new country. Australia is just as wild as this one, however, we worked the land and the cattle stations together; as a family. Sometimes it's the only labour that's available or you can afford. The blacks helped out too. But, they still fought amongst their tribes, so we had to be careful who we interacted with and what sacred lands we needed to avoid."

"Okay, lets compromise here. If I think its safe for you and Alexandra, then we can discuss you coming on a family drive. But, we'll evaluate it at the time. And, if either one of you isn't ready or well enough to go, then someone will have to stay home…"

"And of course that will me; the little woman's job," Marty answered sarcastically.

"No, we will discuss it and decide which are the best people for the jobs. Besides that, you may be busy with your nursing. I've agreed that you can still continue on with that after we are married."

"You agreed!"

Adam put his hands up in defence. "Yes, I agreed after we discussed it. I know you have a passion for that and I would never deny you that calling. I need to do other things besides all the cowboy stuff as you put it. I need to design and build things to satisfy my own passions. We will be partners and we will discuss, and debate, and probably argue, about lots of things once we are married. But I'll warn you now, I will put my foot firmly down if your safety is at risk. That's not just because I'm a man, and have the legal right in this day and age to rule my household; it's because I love you and I will do anything to protect those I love."

"Okay," conceded Marty. "I suppose I sounded a little defensive, but we are going to be partners in our marriage and I need to know you are going to take me seriously and listen to my opinion" she admitted now feeling guilty for reacting so strongly.

"I look forward to discussing all of your opinions my stubborn wife to be," he said with a smile. Marty didn't return his smile. "but, more importantly I find your enthusiasm, your lust for a full of life to be very appealing," he said. "Now how about some more enthusiasm for some more cuddling? And, I wouldn't mind a few more of those kisses before you head off to bed. It's an early start in the morning and a long three weeks for both of us," he implied raising his eyebrows.

Alexandra closed her window, not wanting to watch any more of the lovey dovey stuff. She quickly jumped into bed and lay back. Her thoughts ran a mile a minute, about the drive.

I can't wait to help out in the morning. One day I'll probably be able to do more like dad said when I'm all manured an all. And, have more skill. It's so great of Marty to teach me how to rope and about being able to be a lady and do boy things as well. Marty can do both, and dad likes Marty a real lot. I like Marty a real lot. Maybe I can be more like Marty. The girly things are going to be hard, and girl things with boys specially. I don't think I'll ever like kissing a boy. I'm more excited about learnin' ta rope and round up cattle, and do some of those fun things boys do.

Uncle Hoss said I'm like Uncle Little Joe, and Aunt Molly said I'm as energetic as momma was when she was little. So maybe, I would have all momma's and Uncle Little Joe's talents too. Maybe theys have been passed down to me.. Maybe, I could start practicing tomorrow, or when I get to Mrs O' Shaughnessy, that way Marty would be really happy too and not have to teach me from scratch. Gee Willickers! Iffin I could get as good as Marty and Uncle Joe, then daddy would be more than happy to take me on a cattle drive. Why, he'd probably need me the most! I wouldn't hafta stay home. I'd be with dad and the whole family.

Alexandra soon dozed off thinking of ways she could practice over the next week. Once she fell asleep, she dreamed of her riding her pony Cal on a big cattle drive; saving small calves caught in bushes, whining for their momma's; eating beans and eggs, and bush doughnuts, she wasn't sure what they were, but in her dream they were ringed doughnuts with a spray of berry bushes bursting from the hole in the centre. She dreamed of celebrating in the saloon with her uncles, shouting out at the bar – "Beers for all my friends. To a successful cattle drive". She'd have a fortune in the bank; a hundred dollars even. She'd not only be rich; she'd be the best cowhand her daddy had. Why she could even be ramrod one day!

 **TBC Chapter 3 – Round Em Up And Move Em Out**

A.N. Thanks everyone for the great reviews. Again a special shout out to Lajocci who got this second draft back to me despite her very busy schedule. Stay tuned. I've started the next chapter, but don't be surprised if it takes at least 4 weeks to get to you. I have some pretty big family events coming up.


	3. Round Em Up And Move Em Out

Trail Busters - 6th Story in the Alexandra Series.

Summary: Marty and Alexandra are a little put out at being left behind, while the Cartwright men go on one of the biggest trail rides in the territory. Frankly, I'm not sure what's going to happen, other than, Adam won't be too happy and Alexandra will have a lot to say… as usual.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bonanza, or any of its characters. David Dortort and Fred Hamilton created them and played with them for 14 years. The series is owned by NBC.

Previously: Alexandra plans to delay her father's departure on the cattle drive were thwarted. She dreams of one day being able to ride em and rope em. She decides to get in some practice and prove to her father she will be a top hand for any future cattle drives.

Chapter 3

Round Em Up And Move Em Out

Alexandra sat there wondering how on God's Green Earth she got herself into this mess 'Cattle rustling!' She wasn't a cattle rustler! Her dad was going to be so mad at her, especially if she got herself hung as a cattle rustler. She was as nervous as a cat in a roomful of rocking chairs. That's what they did with cattle rustlers— hung them; she told herself as she sat there quietly under a tree, her hands and ankles tied, while one of the cowboys who had caught her was going to get their trail boss.

Why — yesterday had been the best day she'd had in ages…

 _ **Two days ago**_

Adam rummaged around in the pre-dawn darkness for his saddle bag. After dressing and shaving Adam snuffed out the lamp and fumbled around. He had an hour before he would wake the girls, but he knew Hop Sing would be up and preparing a hearty breakfast for all, before they would set off to the herd. He hoped they would be on their way by early morning light. It wouldn't take more than an hour or two to round up any strays. That would give them plenty of time to get to the pass in two days where the other herds would meet up with them. They could afford to take their time getting there.

Adam walked down the stairs taking in the aroma of freshly brewed coffee… Ah just the smell woke him up and gave him the energy he would need. Hop Sing was a constant, he thought in appreciation of the man who had watched and nurtured them as they had grown up. To Adams astonishment however, it was Marty and Alexandra sitting at the table whispering and smiling into their warm mugs.

"Well; I am surprised," said Adam as he crossed the big room into the dining room.

"We're ready for work, dad," announced Alexandra holding up her large coffee mug.

Adam moved to the table and kissed the top of Alexandra's head. Her curls, that had already escaped from her short braid and fanned around her freckled round face, bounced with the child's excitement. "Hop Sing gave you coffee?" He asked hoping it wasn't so — Alexandra would be bouncing around for hours. Surely Hop Sing would not do that to Mrs O'Shaunassey.

Adam made his way over to Marty and placed a kiss on her cheek; the corner of her smiling lips brushed his as he pulled away. "No, strong coffee for me, Adam, and a lot of milk, a tad of coffee with two spoons of chocolate for Alexandra," replied Marty, relieving Adam of his earlier concerns.

Hop Sing rounded the arch with a fresh coffee pot in his hands. "Little miss up before anyone else," he said as laid the tray down on the table. "Help pack chuck wagon. All wagon packed and ready to go to herd. Breakfast nearly ready." He said before returning to the kitchen.

Adam poured himself a large mug of the delightful smelling brew and sat down in his usual spot at the table.

"Okay so what are ya orders, dad?" asked Alexandra. "Grandpa always gives his orders for the day over breakfast. But yer in charge ain't ya, dad?"

"Aren't I," corrected Adam.

"Ya ain't?"

"No I am. I am the Ramrod."

"Corse ya are and that's what makes you the one to hand out the orders ain't ya, dad?"

"Aren't I," corrected Adam.

"We jist settled that didn't we, dad?"

"Yes Alexandra, but I want you to use the correct grammar. It's not ain't I, or ain't you; it is aren't you, or aren't I?"

"Oh, yep you are dad yer in charge: the biggest toad in the puddle as the cowboys say. So what are yer orders for us two?" asked Alex.

Marty giggled into her coffee. She couldn't help herself, Adams frustration amused her and Alexandra's innocent recourse was always entertaining.

Adam sighed and thought to himself, why fight it? "Okay then... Marty and you are coming out with us to the herd, before Marty heads to the Delvin's. Then Hop Sing is going to drop you at Mrs. O'Shaunassey before he heads to our camp site for tonight."

"Yes, good idea. I'll go that way," replied Marty. "I'll head out when you do. I can let Dan know you're on schedule."

"Whatta about me, dad, what do ya want me ta do? I can help round up some of the calves for ya dad; Marty's gonna show me how ta rope afore she heads off. I reckon I'll pick it up pretty fast. Or I can keep the fires stocked for the branding. I'm also real good a singing sweet nothings inta them baby's ears while they get branded too. I used ta sing ta my momma whenever she got worried about stuff. I'm betting them little calves get worries. Course, I couldn't handle the bigger beeves, but the little ones, I could. I can count the heads too, dad, how many we gotta count afore we leave, dad, I can count up to a thousand, but then I hafta start again, cause it takes too long after that ta say; one thousand, one hundreds and ninety nine. I'm best jist start a countin' again and then adding all my one thousand up at the end. I can add up real good, dad."

Adam put up his hand to stop anymore ramblings from his enthusiastic daughter. "Hold on there, cowboy," he chuckled.

"Hey dad, you called me a cowboy!" Alex beamed proudly. "I reckon I'm not quite one yet, but I sure do hope I can help and get to be a real good one… "

"Alexandra, listen to me and listen to me very carefully," interrupted Adam.

"Sure dad, I can do that. I'm a good listener: I'm all ears; not literally though; I'd look pretty funny with a head full of years exceptin' itta be pretty good ta have the extra ones so I could tuck back all my stupid stray curly hairs that keep fallin' outta my braid. I wish I still had short hair, but… "

"Alexandra look at me and stop talking… "

"Sorry, dad, I am a bit of a yapper. Molly used to say I could talk the legs offa chair."

"I'd believe it," said Adam. He took another sip of his coffee, never taking his eyes off of Alexandra. He put down his cup and stared directly into her face. "You will be helping Hop Sing at the chuck wagon. He and Marty will be checking up on a few of the hands who got minor injuries yesterday. While they are doing that, you are to make sure the hands that are there on the ground have plenty of water and coffee during their rest breaks. We haven't got a big morning, most of the cattle are ready to move. But there are a few calves that need branding and a few that need dipping through the tick wash. You are to stay away from the branding fires, from the herd and from the wash. Do you understand?"

"Yes, dad."

"Good repeat it back to me."

"I'm ta help Hop Sing at the chuck wagon and not go near the dangerous stuff or… or…"

"No, repeat it exactly Alexandra, everything I just said."

Alexandra sat up straight in her chair. Rolled her shoulders back. "I'd believe it…" she said and pinched the bridge of her nose. She then took a sip of her hot chocolate and trained her eyes and stern expression at her father. She put down her cup and stared directly into his face. "You will be helping Hop Sing at the chuck wagon. He and Marty will be checking up on a few of the hands who got minor injuries yesterday. While they are doing that you are to make sure the hands that are there on the ground have plenty of water and coffee during their rest breaks. We haven't got a big morning, most of the cattle are ready to move. But, there are a few calves that need branding and a few that need dipping through the tick wash. You are to stay away from the branding fires, from the herd and from the wash. Do you understand?" she finished with a stern and serious expression trying to emulate her father.

Adam could hear Marty trying to stifle a snort of laughter. "You're not helping" he whispered from the side of his mouth, while still keeping his eyes on Alex. "Very clever, Alexandra, so you know that I am serious. And, you are right; they are dangerous places to be around. If I catch you there you'll be in big trouble and I won't let you help again for the rest of the morning."

Alexandra scrunched up her face at the warning, but then smiled with the nodding of her head. "Got it boss toad."

~oOo~

The south pasture was a hive of activity. Down at the bottom of the hill, the hands had cut a circle where the rounded up herd was being kept, as they waited for the drive to start. The stock was pretty quiet; munching on the fresh grass that lay waiting for them as they arrived— driven there over the last three days. The remnants were being rounded up and branded before being driven in with the larger herd. Wranglers herded horses at the back throwing down some Lucerne biscuits and filling troughs with water. Legs were checked gear was sorted.

On top of the hill, Hop Sing had set up the chuck wagon. The hands and most of the crew at one time or another had come to grab biscuits, coffee or the fresh cold water Hoss and Joe ad pulled from the lake. Marty and Hop Sing applied ointments and bandages to anyone that had even a minor cut or abrasion. The hands had been working for two days rounding the herd, dipping for ticks and branding, all in dusty and hot conditions. Even a minor wound needed to be kept clean from infection and gloves to be worn at all times during the rough work. Marty and Hop Sing had the crew well organised; checking for the occasional tick that may have found their way onto an unsuspecting greenhorn. Should one of those go undetected and embedded its way into the calf and arm or anywhere else on the human body; dire consequences could occur. Many a young man had died from the fever one of them could cause. Marty was an expert at finding and extracting them before they could do any harm.

Meanwhile, Alexandra made sure the men's canteens were full, and poured strong coffee into their outstretched tin cups, whenever the men came in for a break. Adam and Ben did the rounds making sure everyone had their instructions for the day; aiming to make schedule. An hour into the mornings activities most of the major tasks were done.

In between the second hourly shift Marty had time to show Alexandra a few simple rope handling tricks. Alexandra was good at the knots and swinging the rope above her head, coiling and regathering the small length of rope Hoss had made for her to practice on. Marty then moved onto showing Alexandra how to rope a small calf, using a small tree stump about four feet away in place of a live animal.

"To throw," demonstrated Marty, "Move your wrist in a counter clockwise direction and swing above your head," she advised. "For the rope to hit your target, don't throw to a broad area. Throw to a specific place—in this case, to the back of the calf's head." Marty threw the rope easily loping the stump. "Avoid catching other body parts in the lasso, especially their legs," added Marty.

"Can I try?" asked Alexandra as she bounced on her toes.

"Sure," said Marty, retrieving her rope and coiling it while she walked back to Alexandra.

Alexandra repeated the steps Marty had shown her. She twirled her rope high above her head and then set her eyes on the stump, and let her lasso fly, keeping her arm pointed and aimed at the stump. The lasso hit its mark and Alexandra quickly drew her rope back pulling it tightly and with so much force she fell on her bottom, creating a mushroom cloud of dust.

Both Marty and Alexandra laughed as the littlest cowpoke loosened her rope before flicking it clear of the stump and reeling it in.

"You did well, Alexandra, a tree stump is a bit of a dead weight so you shouldn't fall too many times, especially if you have a partner. With a larger steer you will always need a partner when roping and branding. The first cowboy may rope the steer around the head and one horn, around the neck or around both horns. After making his catch, he takes the steer in tow. Then, his partner moves in and ropes both hind legs. Both then get the steer to the ground, and…"

"Uncle Hoss holds onto the horns, and throws his leg over the cos neck all by hisself. Then Uncle Joe brands it," exclaimed Alexandra.

"That's because Uncle Hoss is big and strong. It's still wise to have a partner in case anything goes wrong. That's why you'll see two cowboys together at round up and branding."

"What about the little calves? asked Alexandra.

"Yep they are pretty easy to handle by one person, though they can get a little panicky, so you need to be careful. They can still give a mighty kick. The closer you are to them the less likely their kick will do any real damage."

"Ceptin ifin its in ya face." scoffed Alexandra. "It could flatten ya nose, iffin it kicked you in the face. We'd look pretty funny with flat noses. Sort of like a dinner plate with eyes. Eyes that follow you on a dark a scary night," Alex continued in an eerily tone. She suddenly stopped and looked around cautiously.

"Stop that your scaring yourself," scolded Marty.

"I was too, Miss Marty. Sometimes when I imagine something - it suddenly imagines itself inta something else and goes a different way and then I imagine something completely different. It's a free nominal," explained Alexandra.

"You mean phenomenal."

"Yeah its jist like free thinking that jist come ta me outta the blue like one of them epaulets."

"Huh? Oh epiphany," realized Marty.

"Oh yeah. Like I just had a thought about something."

"That gives you a better understanding of a concept. A moment of sudden and great revelation or realization," defined the young woman.

"What you talking about, Miss Marty? You sounding jist like my dad," declared Alex flipping her hands in the air and sounding annoyed.

"Is that so bad? asked Marty. "I am a grown-up."

"It ain't bad. I love my dad. But, I'm sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, and I'll need ta use the chamber pot afore I do anything else, I don't need another one — another dad that is."

"What about another mother?" ventured Marty.

"Sure, I want another person to love like a mother. But, I don't want her ta be the same as my mother. You gonna be my new mother ain't ya?"

"Yes I really want to be," expressed Marty tentatively.

"Good then. But, ya different from my mamma. Yes… ya kinda of the same in some ways, in that ya pretty and ya real kind and ya can do different things that boys can do, jist like my momma. But, yer ain't afraid like she was. She was a feared all the time. Daddy knows why and Molly knows why, but they ain't told me exactly everything. They jist told me she was fearful of losing me. They are gonna tell me other stuff when I'm older. Anyway thing is we all should be different. I wanna be a little bit like the people who I care about and who care about me. Be like the good things about them with a lot of me thrown in ta boot. I wanna be a bit like dad; real smart and brave and tall, ceptin I don't think I'm gonna be tall, so I'll have ta think of somethin' else. Maybe I could learn ta drink whiskey and not choke on when it goes down. I wanna be a bit like my momma; be loyal and be a real good drawer and dance and sing. I wanna be like Molly too, who don't put up with no nonsense from nobody and be able ta kick a no good varmint in the seat of his britches and kick him out a pair saloon doors iffin he can't pay his bills."

"I think you used too many double negatives there," giggled Marty. "But, I get your point. Molly's a force to be reckoned with if you do the wrong thing."

"Yep. I also wanna be like Grandpa William and be in charge of a circus and be able to gentle animals. Grandpa Ben says our house is like a circus some times. Grandpa Ben; well I'd like to be able to roar and yell like he can without sounding like I'm screamin'. And I want ta be as kind as he is to folks that don't have much, but still make them feel proud. I'd like ta have the appetite of Uncle Hoss, so I could win the pancake eating contest jist once. But, I'd be real happy iffin I could be as gentle with the animals and fix them up when theys hurt. I wanna be happy all the time like Uncle Joe and then be real fierce when he done see some injustice. And even though he's small; like me; it don't stop him, but sometimes he don't think so that's when I would need my daddy's smarts. Then, I could do with a bit of Hop Sing's wisdom too. But he's real quiet about it. I should learn ta be real quiet and maybe watch more. Like he can jist tell what a body needs; whether its good food, medicine or some real good Chinese verbs for advice. So ya see its good ta be different cause we can all learn a little something from each other. I don't want you to be exact same as my already momma, even though she ain't exactly here on the ground, but she's still in me and in my heart. But, I like that you ain't afraid and I'd like ta learn not to be afraid of almost anything. Sometimes ya gotta be a little bit afraid jist in case ya gonna do something stupid. But you ain't afraid and you ain't stupid. Ya kind, and your funny. Ya can deliver babies and rope calves— not at the same time; thatta be impossible. Anyway that makes ya different. It's a good thing. Right?"

Marty stayed quiet as she listened to Alexandra; elated and emotional about the child's feelings for her family and the acceptance of her as soon to be one of them.

"Right Miss Marty?" repeated Alexandra.

Marty quickly wiped the moisture from her cheeks and snapped her head up. "Right", she declared smiling and then slapped her left thigh. "Anyway lucky for us we haven't got big noses."

"Huh?" questioned Alexandra. "What's noses got ta do with it. Really Miss Marty ya gotta stay on track of ma revolutions."

"Revelations," corrected Marty and laughed. "Okay then; you want to practice one more time with the rope before I have to get moving."

"Sure Miss Marty. I'm gonna miss you when you go."

"No you won't. I'll see you in a couple of days; remember?"

"Still I'll miss you even for a coupla days. I'm sure gonna miss my daddy more though. No offence."

"No not a fence, maybe a gate though", giggled Marty.

"See, Miss Marty ya funny."

"I am!" agreed Marty. "Well I think I'll miss your daddy as much as you too. Five weeks is a long time."

"It's only three weeks, Miss Marty."

"That is if they make it the stock yards in Utah. But If they don't make it within three weeks they'll have to go onto Wyoming. That could take a good six weeks then."

"My daddy didn't tell me that. The whole summer will be over by then," groused Alexandra.

"We'll have lots of fun, Alex. Why by then, I'll bet you'll be the best cow hand on the Ponderosa. Come on, try one more rope trick," encouraged Marty, wishing now she had kept her big mouth shut. She'd heard Adam discussing the best routes with his father and the options they had for the best price at the closest markets. Having to move the herd another two hundred miles might mean better money, but weaker stock.

Alexandra was suddenly called from her practicing. A couple of hands finishing up the calf branding were dousing the fire and called her over for more water.

"Bring the coffee pot with you too," called the younger of the two men.

Alexandra finished wrapping up her lasso, and attached it to her belt, just like her uncle Hoss had shown her. She then grabbed a full canteen and headed down the small embankment towards the hands.

"Hey the coffee, too!" barked the impatient cowboy. "Hurry up, kid we haven't got all day."

Alex huffed before turning back to grab the near empty coffee pot and waddled back down to the pair. "Here ya go she said," handing the canteen over.

Both men took a large swig of the cool canteen water, before returning to their packing up.

Alexandra took back the canteen and offered the coffee put. "Ya got some mugs for the coffee?" she asked.

The younger of the two stood up and stretched, then grabbed his tin cup and held it out to her.

Alexandra poured filling the cup with the last of the coffee. "Sorry mister, "she said to the older hand. "I can go back and get some more iffin ya want."

"Nah don't you worry, little lady. Wittles can finish packing up here and I'll go to the chuck wagon. That okay with you Wittles?"

"Sure, Jake," nodded Wittles.

"I can help, Mr Jake," offered Alexandra as she bent down to pick up the two saddle irons, that lay beside the smoldering and near cold fire.

"Hey," said Jake, "don't touch them yet, theys still hot."

"Oh," said Alexandra, "lucky?" She exclaimed a little embarrassed.

Jake turned to gather his horse reigns and walked up the hill towards the chuck wagon.

Alexandra turned to the young cowboy. "Well how can I help you, Mr Wittles?"

"Ya can't," snapped the cowboy, "You need to go back to the wagon. I can handle this on my own."

"Oh Okay," said Alexandra, disappointed. As she started to turn around, she heard a sound coming from the bushes. She looked behind her to see Wittles scrimmaging in his saddle bags and preoccupied. So, she tentatively approached a set of trees and bushes; towards the sound she could hear. Once there she found two small calves; one a little older than the other, tethered to a bush. "Hmm they musta forgot about these two," she said out loud.  
The two babies were upset and started to pull at the ropes securing them to a thick branch on one of the bushes. The bigger one was pulling so hard, the branch looked like it was going to snap. Alexandra, whipped out her rope, uncoiled it and slid the loose open. She then twirled it around her head and then threw it towards the calf. She missed.

The calf felt the slight sting of her lasso, and stopped immediately pulling at his own rope. He looked up at her, as if inquisitive and curious about this very short animal, who didn't look anything like the other two footed critters he was becoming accustomed too. The smaller of the calves looked up at the older one, as if waiting for a cue as what he should do.

Alexandra laughed at the sight; it reminded her of Josh and his little brother, Harrison, watching a fight break out over a game of marbles in the school yard. Obviously neither calf felt threatened, so Alexandra thought it a prime opportunity to try her skills once more. She was now advancing from dead tree stumps to live animals. Once she mastered this, Alex was sure she would be able to catch and rope a moving calf. So she reeled in her rope and started again; trying to remember what Marty had told her and where to aim the outer edge of the lasso.

As she let go; it felt good; it felt right. And so it was; the loop easily circled the older calf's head. The calf almost looked shocked, but didn't move as she came closer foot by foot towards him. Once there, she smiled at the calf and ran her hand down its nose. "Betcha didn't expect that!" she scoffed.

Alexandra untied the original rope of both calves, while holding steadily onto the knot of her lasso at the gullet of the calf. She then turned to the smaller calf, "Now you best not run off. I ain't got no partner here, you little cute thing. You jist follow yer friend here and I'll get you back to ya mamma's real soon." The little calf stretched out its small neck and bleated.

"Ha you sound like a little lamb. Don't be making that sound too much. There's a bunch of cattle men around here — theys don't kindly to sheep, and theys might jist think ya one. So, come on now; follow me," she ordered and maneuvered the calves away from the prickly branches of the bush.

"Hey, Mister Whittles, you done forgot these two," she hollered as she came out between the trees.

Wittles was down at the fire. He jumped and turned towards Alexandra, looking annoyed. "No I didn't. I remembered."

"Yer want me to get Jake so you can brand them?" she asked.

"Ah no. I should be fine," he said as he resumed his place at the fire, poking one of the brands to stir up some heat.

"I guess theys are small. Ya should do the older one first. The little one just follows him. I've got the big one here. Ya want me to help hold him down. While you brand him?"

"I'll be right, I said. Here jist give me the lead rope," he snapped.

"But, yer should always work with a partner," explained Alexandra.

"I can do it," he snapped again. "You get going now, ya here. Ya a nuisance and yer in my way," grouched the cowboy.

"Boy you sure are a grouchy. Here ya go then smarty pants," teased Alex. She handed over the calf and kept talking as the young cowboy attempted to lay the calf down. "That's what we call the bossy boots at my school. All the boys think they are so smart and strong all the time. They think they are smarter than girls and girls can't do the same things as them. Don't know why theys called smarty pants, though. Might have somethink ta do with their man's parts, but I don't see what so smart about having them cepting to able ta pee standing up. You wanna be careful with ya man parts when ya branding a cow without its legs tied. But, a girl can be a smarty pants too. So I guess it might have something ta do about not wearin' diapers anymore - you know not being a baby and wearing proper pants, ceptin not many girls wear pants only smarty pants boys, cause they have small man parts. I ain't seen any body's man parts, only little boys, and only baby boys really, but they aren't smarty pants cause they still in diapers."

"Kid will you stop ya jabbering," said Wittles, managing to tie the young calf down and get him to the ground. However, the smaller calf, out of concern for his friend, stepped between the wrangler and the hot fire where the branding iron was. "Ahh Pass me that branding iron, will ya," he ordered.

"Sure thing- now ya want ma help don't ya?" She said with excitement. Alexandra picked up the small branding saddle iron carefully with her gloved right hand and then walked around the smaller calf preparing to hand over the iron. But, before she could do that, a sudden below was heard.

"Alexandra!" Called Adam, riding towards them, Little Joe at his side.

Alexandra panicked and threw the branding iron way and hopefully out of sight from her father. She's remembered his warning and was taking no chances as being caught with the dangerous object.

As Joe and Adam rode up the smaller calf grunted and took off. Wittles caught off guard with only one hand on the larger calf and one stretched out to receive branding iron was pushed backward when the larger calf kicked out trying to get to his feet.

Adam and Joe quickly dismounted and ran to help Wittles with the struggling calf. Meanwhile, Alexandra took off after the smaller one, still bleating and grunting towards the herd where a large cow was also grunting and mooing in a strange fashion. The large cow emerged from the back of the herd in time to greet its once lost off spring.

"Here's ya baby, momma," cooed Alexandra as she neared the scene. She stopped at a safe distance once she realized the young calf had latched onto its mother and was feeding. She stood there smiling and watched quietly as the young calf took its full. Alexandra thought it was sad that such a baby needed to be branded. Chewing on an idea and her bottom lip, she looked back over her shoulder to where her father and Uncle Joe were. They were just finishing branding the calf that Wittles had started. For fear that they then intended to brand the much younger one, Alexandra jumped forward waving her arms about, trying to shoo the cow and her offspring away and into the thick of the herd; hoping that the little one would escape the painful activity-at least for today.

"He's coming girl, move, move, now," she shouted at the cow, shooing with her hands, "Yar Yar!" she cried waving her arms at them. The mother turned to look at the child, 'Yarring' and whooping at her and in doing so, her calf turned also, leaving its mother's teat to survey the curious sounds. They weren't moving back into the heard though, so Alexandra moved closer with each whoop - whoop, and the cow and her calf started to move, but grunt and moo at the same time. A few of the other cows close by turned to the sounds and sensing some danger to their comrade and calf, moved to surround the pair in a show of solidarity. Unfortunately, while creating the protective circle around the pair they had also surrounded Alexandra.

"Uh Oh!" she thought, this was not good, and she stopped making any noise and stood very still.

Adam had just released the calf when he heard Alexandra's round up calls. However, before any anger at his foolish child could fester, panic arose, as Alexandra's small cowboy hat could be seen just below a small circling herd.

Little Joe noticed also. Joe went to jump on his mount, but was stopped by Adams call. "No Joe, they may scatter too fast."

"Okay, Adam,' nodded Joe and he joined his older brother as they walked casually towards the beeves, keeping Alexandra in their sights.

Once close enough, Adam spoke in a calm and normal voice. "Alexandra, stay still, relax but don't make any sudden movements. I'm coming to get you."

"Okay dad," yelled Alexandra.

The cow's ears pricked up and some grunted while others mooed.

"And don't talk Pip Squeak," added Joe, as he moved towards Alexandra who now stood in the middle of six cows and the calf.

Adam held Joe back, "No follow me, Joe."

Adam then moved forward at a casual pace, not too slow and not too fast. The cows recognized the man in black and his particular manner and found nothing unusual. They stopped grunting and watched as he moved towards the little creature wearing a similar hat and blonde tails frayed at the ends; it wasn't moving and making sounds anymore and no longer seemed a threat. So as Adam weaved his way in between them, gently pushing them out of the way — they obliged. Besides, he was sure to be able to deal with the strange creature and remove any threat it may have against them.

Joe came behind him also gently moving the cows out wider, so by the time they got to Alexandra they had just a few cows either side of them, and the baby; who had decided, once Alexandra had stood still, he might just sniff her out and lick her fancy cowboy hoofs.

"Alexandra, Im going to pick you up. Don't move your arms until I start walking."

"Dad, I…"

Adam put his finger to his lip; quieting the little girl immediately. As he bent, he wrapped one arm around her knees and lifted. Alexandra clung to his shoulders as soon as Adam stood and she could see above the cows. Adam moved forward; one arm tightly secured to Alexandra's thighs and the other outstretched at waist height in case any of the remaining cows decided to close in again.

Joe provided extra security by walking towards them and then behind them, as they had turned. It was similar to the bodyguards Sheriff Roy Coffee often employed when moving a prisoner from the jail to the courthouse and back again. As they emerged, Joe moved up beside father and daughter and made eye contact with Adam. And,while there was no longer the stern concern in hi solder brother's eyes, his thin drawn tight upper lip, and rolled eye movement, told Joe that Alexandra's plight could easily be likened to one of Roy's prisoners on their way to judgement.

Adam walked resolutely towards the branding pit. "Get that packed up and get ready to head out," he called to Wittles, as he continued past it, towards the line of trees.

Alexandra expecting to be put down got the surprise of her life when Adam, after propping one leg up on a fallen stump, flipped her over the one knee and in quick succession laid down five stinging swats to her denim clad backside. Alexandra's hat went flying. She didn't have time to kick or yell, just the one very long "Ouch" was all she got out before her father put her back down on her feet.

"What in the… what were you thinking, Alexandra? Do you know how dangerous that was? You are too…"

"Gee, dad." sniffled Alex, "Ya always shoot first…" she sniffed again, "and ask questions later."

"You are too small to be getting in among the cattle like that. I warned you about staying clear of the herd and the branding pit. Did I not?" questioned Adam his anger now gone and his energy almost expended. He could herd cattle all day and feel tired, but keeping herd on Alex drained a whole lot more of his energy .

Alexandra swiped the sleeve of her red checked shirt across her teary eyes. "I didn't mean ta get caught up with them, dad; I was jist shooing the little baby back to its momma. And Wittles asked me ta help him with the cow he was getting ready to brand."

Adams arms were now crossed; a hand tucked under each armpit as he looked down at his daughter. "Well Wittles needed to wait till Jake got back. Not you. I'll have a talk to him about it."

"No don't do that, dad. Jake thoughts they were finished, but I found the two baby calves behind them bushes and bought them to Wittles, but by then Jake was gone. I done caught the calves real easy —well one of them and then the little one jist followed."

Adam relaxed his firm stance, he put one leg forward and slouched just a little as his fingers hooked into the stays on each side of his chaps. "I saw you practicing your roping with Marty and you did a good job at getting the little ones, but… Stay away from the big ones. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes dad, I'm sorry. The little one was jist looking for it mamma and the mamma was looking for him. He's too little to get branded yet dad, ain't he? It's was goin' ta hurt him bad, so I jist figured they should get outta here and maybe; you know — wait a while afore he gets the brand. I don't know how long, but maybe by the time ya get ta market would be good. Though he does seem like a bit of a mischievous cow, and gets lost easily; his momma done found him easy this time, maybe ya should think about others ways to keep them from wandering off or other ways to brand them, or be able ta identify them with the right momma. Couldn't ya jist tie different coloured bows around their neck? Or paint a big brand on their as… bottom? Anyway, I was worried for the little fella; he was already tremendously traumatized by being lost from its momma," said Alexandra her arms spread wide to illustrate the point.

" _I wonder who was more tremendously_ _traumatize_?" thought Adam. " _I know how that feels."_

"I know what's that like, dad. I was lost once. It was when I was at the carnival. There was lots of people. I was following one of the riggers legs, but soon all the legs looked the same ta me, being low to the ground an all and afore I knew it the legs I supposed to be following weren't the right legs and I was lost. At first ya jist looking around enjoying ya adventure some and then ya realized ya can't see the person ya was with. And ya get real worried until ya find them. But, ya always supposed ta stay calm and that's what I did when I started to wave the momma and the baby off, back inta the crowd they knew. But, the mamma musta been scared too; she was grunting like Uncle Hoss told me they do when theys callin' their young and iffin they feel danger, so as soon as I heard that I stopped. Still as a statue and as quiet as I could be; as a quiet as a bee up ones' nose, like Uncle Hoss done told me. Thens afore I knowed it, I was surrounded. At least ya coulda listened to ma side of things afore you set my butt on fire!"

Adam listened and looked down at Alexandra before sighing. " _I wasn't going to give you the chance to bamboozle me_ ," thought Adam. He knelt down to her level and put his hands on his shoulders. "I know you want to help and you have been a help this morning; one day you may be a big help. But, me setting your backside on fire, was my reflexive response to you putting yourself in danger and not following my strict instructions this morning."

"But, I didn't mean ta not follow them, dad."

Adam shook his head, before decoding her double negative. "That doesn't make a bit of difference, Alex."

"It should, Dad; like the lawyers say it's circumcised evidence, until ya heard the whole story, dad and got ya facts right and also intention is all pretty dam… I mean real important, dad."

Adam tried to ignore Alexandra's ramble and got straight to his point. "Well five swats are hardly the price you would pay if you had fully intended and deliberately disobeyed me. And, five swats are nothing compared to the pain you would have felt if you had gotten seriously hurt."

"Ifin I got seriously hurt would ya had been even more madder at me, dad?"

Adam lent in a rested his head against Alexandra's forehead. "No I'd be tremendously traumatized."

"Oh!"

Adam stood up, then bent down to pick up Alexandra's hat. He plonked it in her head. "Come on, Hop Sing needs to get you to Mrs. O'Shaunassey."

"Hey, dad? asked Alexandra as she righted her cowboy hat. "How come ya hafta brand such baby calves. Why don't ya wait till theys are bigger?"

Adam smiled, that was Alexandra, a quick bounce back. "I'll explain but let's walk and talk. The baby calves need to be branded before they are weaned. Their mother's milk helps with healing and any distress they might feel. So, they need to be done in the next couple of days, so they can be fully weaned before we get out on the full open range. You see, there might not be enough good grass for a mother to make good milk to feed her baby."

"How come ya didn't do it afore now?"

"Because these calves and their momma's came down form the south pasture; they only got here yesterday. Don't you worry, Uncle Hoss and Hop Sing help with the few still to be weaned while we are on the trail."

"I could help with things like that, dad; the little ones are easy for me ta handle."

"Yes you could, especially when we are home. Hop Sing makes a special cake and sometimes he even uses his doughnut mix to hand feed them so they get used to more sold food."

"No? Really? You sure, dad? That jist ain't some excuse for Uncle Hoss ta eat more doughnuts is it?"

Adam laughed. "Well you might be right."

They were both laughing as Adam came up the hill where Hop Sing and Marty were waiting.

"All ready?" he asked.

"Yes, Mista Adam all ready to go. Need to get eggs packed. Hurry little miss," called Hop Sing already waiting on the wagon seat.

"Oh wait!" jumped Alexandra. "I gotta get Cally. She's tied up down the hill, "she explained, pointing to where they had jist come from, and then took off.

"Sorry Hop Sing," called Adam.

"I can ride by there and drop her off if you want to get going now, Hop Sing," offered Marty.

"Is okay with you Mista Adam? Hop Sing want to get to first campsite by midday – be ready for supper."

"Sure Hop Sing Just tell O'Shaunassey that Alex is coming with Marty."

"Okay, very good, very good," nodded Hop Sing as he slapped the reins getting the heavily laden chuck wagon moving, minus one Alexandra and the twenty dozen eggs he needed to find room for.

Marty turned to Adam. "Well Cowboy," she said pulling him closer towards her, "We have a few more minutes to say, au revoir," she said before laying a kiss on his lips.

"Hmm, Au revoir what about, Adieu?" asked Adam and returned a warm soft kiss of his own.

"Auf Wiedersehen", again it was Marty's turn. She held the kiss just a little longer before leaving his lips.

Adam smiled and volleyed on with, "Adios my love," and then kissed her passionately. He was liking this game.

Coming up for air, Marty breathed out with, "Guwayu."

"Guwayu?" asked Adam as he held the smiling woman.

"Its a word the Native Australians use," she said, "Now for my Kiss," she said claiming it ardently.

"Well deserved," flourished Adam as they pulled apart. Then added "Em puinnuhi — Native American; Duck Creek I believe," smirked Adam.

Marty laughed deeply and then shot her hand in the air and gave a royal wave. "Toodle-oo mate."

Adam grabbed the royal arm and pulled Marty in. Playfully wrapping his arms around her waist, he rocked and swayed with her in his arms. "I'm going to miss you Miss Toddle -oo."

"Me too," replied Marty.

"You're going to miss you?" smirked Adam again.

"Hmm, yeah, Mr Smarty Pants from Duck Creek," joked Marty, as she snuggled into his shoulder for a warm hug. They stayed like that for some time.

Meanwhile Alexandra had collected Cally, her white pony. She checked the saddle and her saddle bags making sure everything was neatly arranged. She turned her pony around ready to mount and head up the hill, when she heard two of the hands in what seemed a heated discussion. Hidden behind the small tree she had had Cally tied to, she stood silently and listened.

"Well we haven't got time to look for it, little brother, and maybe a good thing too. I don't like this scheme you've got yourself into, so your part of it is best left as it is; over."

"Well I ain't done my quota. Forsyth won't like that. You can leave if you want, nothin's keeping you're here, Rupe."

"I'm here because I'm trying ta keep you outta trouble; bad trouble; jail, maybe even outta a hangin'. I agreed to this only as your last job. We're leaving after its done. You hear me boy!"

"I'm not yer boy and you ain't Pa."

"I'm the next best thing you got, Wittles. Pa let you run wild cause he was sick, and now he's gone. I come home ta find you hanging around with the wrong types."

"Pa died working his fingers to the bone. You coulda been there ta help."

"we've been over this. Look I didn't know… I would have come. Why didn't he try to get in contact with me?"

"Cause, he was too proud— the ole coot. Said yer had ta make your own way in the world. Honest farming was his; you playing soldier down in Mexico was yours. And, now this is mine. I ain't no farmer."

"Okay, okay, but we get enough for a small spread near the boarder and we can run horses, Right?"

"I agreed to that, didn't I. Now, help me pack up. We might find it when we clear all this," said Wittles waving his hands about the pit site."We have to get moving with this herd."

The two hands then started scuffling around, packing up the rest of the gear. Alexandra wondered what they were looking for, but shrugged her shoulders and continued on her way towards the hill. No sooner had she taken a few steps, than Cally kicked at something in the dirt. It made a metal clinking sound. Alexandra maneuvered her pony to see what it was. She bent down and dusted off the dry grass and dirt from the object, discovering the small saddle iron; the one that she had tossed aside when her father had pulled up at the branding fire. "This must be what Wittles and Rupe were looking for." She should return it she thought, as it would be needed to brand the calves that were being weaned. Only, taking a closer look at the brand Alex noticed it wasn't the Ponderosa's. Instead of a rudimentary pine tree; its long center line symmetrically supporting three branches of diminishing sizes on either side, this brand was in the shape of a triangle set sideways and a large letter E sitting against the longest side.

"It ain't ours, so I guess theys won't be needin' it - for now, anyways," said Alexandra to nobody but Cally. She then put it in her own saddle bag. "Well Cally, I'm gonna do me some practicing with this here iron. Corse, I won't be using it in fire and all, but I can still practice ropin' and branding – pretend branding with some paint maybe. Anyway, come on Hop Sings gonna get real grouchy ifin we don't move."

Alex arrived on the hill moments later to find her father and Marty in an embrace. "Hey can I have a hug too," she yelled.

Adam and Marty broke apart making enough room for Alexandra to join them. They all laughed when Cally moved forward on her lead and tried to nudge her way in.

"She wants a hug too, dad," explained Alexandra.

Adam picked up Alexandra. "Well she will have one, my lady," he proclaimed as he put her in the saddle. He patted Cally neck and grabbed her petite head, stroking her white forehead down to her nose. "Take care Cally," he said. "Make sure Alexandra gives you a special treat tonight for all your hard work today."

"I will dad", said Alex before turning to Marty. "Goodbye Miss Marty, see you Thursday."

"Oh, I'm taking you to Mrs O'Shaunassey," corrected Marty smiling. "We don't have to say good bye yet. I'll just go get Dreamer and we can mosey on down ta tha homestead, little gal," she added, in an exaggerated cowboy slang.

Alexandra giggled. "Guess that just leaves you, dad. Be careful won't ya, dad." she warned pointing her finger at her father. "Let them younger hands do the dangerous stuff wont ya, dad. You're the boss, so you can tell them to do the risky stuff. You don't have to do it do ya, dad?"

"Alexandra," said Adam as he once again gave her a hug from her saddle. "I will be alright. I've been doing this for years. I 'll be home as soon as we get these herds to the first market." He kissed her cheek and then tapped her on her nose. "I'll be home in no time at all."

"Can ya write me, dad?"

"Maybe. We go close to a few towns; I'll get a letter to you if I can. It probably won't get here for about a week though, so don't go bugging Mrs O'Shaunassey to go into town every day."

"I won't, dad, but I sure hope you can send a letter."

"Okay well you two best be going. If you look down into the valley from O'Shaunassey place, Alex, you should see the heard pass by in about an hour."

"How come dad, it's only a ten-minute ride from here."

"Well we have to go down to the valley pastures and cattle are a slot slower moving than we are," he explained.

Marty walked Dreamer over to Alexandra. "Come on we can watch from the hill," she said mounting up.

Adam mounted Sport and trotted along beside them until he got to the bottom of the hill and before the rise of the next one. "Okay ladies this is where I leave you," he said, tipping his hat. He turned Sport and headed for the heard. Lifting his hat and waving it in the air, he called "ROUND EM UP, MOVE EM OUT!"

TBC

Chapter 4 Ride Em And Rope Em

 **A.N** Sorry it's been so long folks, but besides a very busy real life – family and work, I've been having trouble with my eyes — too much screen time I'm afraid. Well I've got the new glasses now, which are helping, so hopefully I can find more quality time to put into my stories. Thanks for sticking with me. And a Big shout out to Lajocci for getting this chapter back so fast. She's twice as busy as me.

Plus, I have no idea about the terrain of this area at the time, so I'm just making it up. I'm a tad yearly, by about 15 years, for the transient stock yards that existed to get cattle to Eastern markets, so I take poetic licence.


	4. Chapter 4 Ride Em and Rope Em

Chapter 4

Ride Em And Rope Em

Trail Busters - 6th Story in the Alexandra Series.

Summary: Marty and Alexandra are a little put out at being left behind, while the Cartwright men go on one of the biggest trail rides in the territory. Frankly, I am not sure what's going to happen, other than, Adam won't be too happy, and Alexandra will have a lot to say… as usual.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bonanza, or any of its characters. David Dortort and Fred Hamilton created them and played with them for 14 years. The series is owned by NBC.

Chapter 4

Ride Em And Rope Em

 _ **Two days later**_

Why — yesterday had been the best day she'd had in ages…

Alexandra had been sitting under that tree waiting for the trail boss to arrive, now wondering if any of this had been a good idea. Alexandra did not deliberately intend to follow her father. Once her plans for delaying him had fallen through, and there was re-consideration about her tagging along, Alex had resigned herself to the fact that she would be spending the next three weeks with Mrs O'Shaunassey and Marty. But things had just fallen into place and once the opportunity had presented itself, Alexandra deemed it as divine intervention, and decided fate had called the play.

Hop Sing arrived at O'Shaunassey' s to pick- up the eggs Mrs. O'Shaunassey had gathered for him. Hop Sing, as usual, was in a rush and had many errands to run. He failed to clearly relay the message regarding Alexandra's arrival. "Little Miss gone with Miss Marty," he quickly delivered, as he packed the wagon with the last of the eggs, making sure the already hard-boiled ones were on the top and the others securely encased in the trays of straw below.

By the time Alexandra had arrived at Mrs. O'Shaunassey' s with Marty, who waited at the farmhouse gates, Hop Sing was gone.

Mrs. O'Shaunassey rambled on as she tapped on the door. "Oh Alexandra, I thought you had gone with Miss Strawn," she exclaimed, but didn't stop to let Alexandra correct her. "Well now that you're here, you can take this basket with you. I put together a few things for Mrs Devlin; there's a couple of nice pies one meat and one peach that should be eaten in the next couple of days. I remember what it was like with new babies and men working hard in the field. Getting a good meal out in time for sipper is hard work. This should help."

While Mrs O'Shaunassey rambled on and packed the basket, Alexandra had time to think, and formulate a bit of a plan for following the herd and her father.

Almost finished with the packing of the basket, Mrs O'Shaunassey stopped and surveyed the kitchen and its contents, looking for anything else she might add. She spotted a jar of jam preserves on the shelf and added it to the basket. Still pre-occupied, she asked, "Where is Miss Strawn, is she not coming in?"

"No… ahh I jist had to… ah get a few things and going back to the Ponderosa mighta taken too long. Plus…Ahh Marty jist wanted ta make sure you knew what the plan was."

"Yes, Hop Sing explained that you were going with Miss Strawn."

"Yeah; we're going ta watch the herd from the big hill on the way to the Delvin's."

"Oh good. Well I was looking forward to you staying a couple of days; never mind. I suppose this works out a little better, though. Marty doesn't have to come back down Thursday. So, what else do you need?"

"Ahh, nothing really, I guess. I got all ma clothes and stuff, and this basket here will sure help; you know…ah… seein' I'm an extra mouth to feed," said Alexandra.

"But you said you needed something, and that the Ponderosa was too far to go back for it. I suppose I could…"

Alexandra panicked, Mrs O'Shaunassey was a smart lady, and could soon figure out what she was up too. "Oh, I… I thought… iffin you had one, I need a bedroll. That way I can sleep on the floor at the Delvin's, in case there aren't enough beds. My Uncle Hoss done made me a small one, but its back home. Marty and I was going ta get it later in the week."

"Oh, good idea. Now let me see. I think there might be one in the barn my boys used when they were younger."

Proud as punch about her quick thinking, Alexandra followed Mrs O'Shaunassey towards the side of the house to the barn carrying the basket of goods with her. She stopped by Cally; trying to figure out how she could attach it. She need not have worried too much, because as soon as Mrs. O'Shaunassey returned with a small bedroll, she helped her attach the basket behind the saddle and then the bedroll behind it— nice and tight.

As Alex started to mount Cally, Mrs O'Shaunassey waved to Marty still waiting at the gates. Alexandra followed suit and waved. Marty waved back before trotting off slowly heading for the Devlins believing Alexandra was settled.

"Oh, she's leaving," said Mrs. O'Shaunassey, worrying her lip.

"She's jist gonna wait up a top of the hill, so we can watch Dad in the valley below. She's real sweet on dad, ya know. She doesn't want ta take her eyes offa him iffin she can help it. Theys getting married when Dad gets back. You'll be coming ta the wedding wont ya, Mrs O'Shaunassey?"

"Oh indeed, Alexandra I wouldn't miss it. I'm so glad your daddy has found someone."

"Me too, Mrs O'Shaunassey and Marty's the best new momma a kid could have. She's going ta show me how to do lots of things. Dad likes all the things she can do too. I wanna be jist like her."

"Well," said Mrs O'Shaunassey, feeling very proud of the little girl. "Spending that extra time with Marty will be very good for you both then. I don't feel so jealous now."

"You jealous, Mrs O'Shaunassey? Of Dad, marrying Marty? Did you want to marry him?"

Mrs O'Shaunassey laughed. "No child, though had I been younger… maybe," she giggled. "There are lots of women who like your daddy, Alexandra. So, you look after Miss Marty, won't you?"

Alexandra was a little confused by that remark, but shrugged her shoulders, eager to get moving. "I will. I better catch up to Marty now. See ya, Mrs O'Shaunassey and thank you for everything."

The rest was easy. Marty had ridden straight onto the Devlins, and Alexandra had returned to the hill where they had earlier watched the herd in the valley below. She waited for the last of the cattle to round into a narrow pass. She couldn't see Hop Sing's wagon, but knew he was taking a trail that would get him to the first campsite by late afternoon. Alex carefully walked down the wide embankment, leading Cally all the way to the valley floor, and simply followed the dust trail the cattle left— careful to stay out of sight of those riding drag.

Nevertheless, a day and a half later, she was now in a real pickle. She'd been caught and accused of cattle rustling. She was hoping that the trail boss who was coming was not her father. She hadn't recognised the two hands who had caught her, so she surmised that she had somehow met up with some of the other ranch hands on their way to join her father's main herd. Perhaps, if luck was to go her way, she would be able to convince the Boss that she was not stealing any of his cattle and that she'd made an honest mistake and they would let her go.

Alexandra had evaded being caught by anyone over the past twenty-four hours. She had nearly come close to it at supper last night and a debacle over missing doughnuts from Hop Sings enormous bowl, and the mess her Uncle Hoss had made when he accidentally tipped the new batch of batter all over her grandfather. But she had remained undetected from her father's trail wagon, seeking refuge close-by. She had hoped to wait until everyone was asleep and then lay her bedroll down close to Hop Sing's wagon. Instead, she had to settle for rougher ground behind a large bush and several boulders a little over ten feet away.

Alexandra had spent the day before picking up one or two young calf strays and had successfully herded them back towards the main herd— from the back of course, where she was less likely to be seen; even by the drag crew. Unfortunately, today, she had lost her father's trail and the herd sometime around mid-morning and didn't discover that important fact until it was too late.

The call of one of the young calves caught in the scrub of dry creek bed had her excited and she wandered far from the end of the trail, following its wails. Her roping skills had improved somewhat and the chance to improve them even more was just too much of a temptation.

At least two hours passed as she chased three young calves around the dry bed roping them and hoping to repoint them towards where she believed the herd was heading. She'd come upon them easily enough. All three were tied up in the bushes. Alex thought it would be easy enough to get them out. She just slipped the rope around one's neck and pulled, hoping that the others would then follow their mate. Unfortunately, once the young creature was freed, he ran for his life taking Alexandra with him.

Fifteen minutes later, battered and bruised she finally got the calve tethered to a nearby tree before going back for the second one, then the third. While they were quiet, she decided she might try the small branding iron on one of the quieter ones. Cautious about a making a fire and fearful of hurting the young animal, Alexandra found some white clay at the bank of the creek. She added a little water from her canteen, creating a paste and stuck the saddle into it. She gently approached the small calf, talking to it while she touched its head and ran her hand down its back and to his rump. Then holding the lead rope tightly, she coaxed the animal to the ground. Once there, she tied the legs of the calf, liked she had seen her uncles do, before pressing the saddle iron into the soft coat of the animal's hind. When she took it away, a somewhat fuzzy brand remained; thick in some spots where the slip clay was still wet and chalky in others where the clay had started to dry.

Now exhausted, but plenty proud of herself, Alex decided to take a lunch break. She put the saddle iron back in her saddle bags and then pulled out a couple of doughnuts that she broke up and fed to the calves as a reward for good behaviour. She ate the last bit of O'Shaunassey' s meat pie while resting in the shade of the tree.

Alexandra had dozed off after her meal, only to wake to the whispering of two men. She jumped in fright when they yelled at her to wake up. They looked critically at her, but they didn't have their guns out, so Alexandra jumped and took off; with only a fliting pang of guilt about the calves.

Nevertheless, the two men were obviously well experienced wranglers. One old— as old as her grandpa, but tall and skinny with a big grey moustache like you see on 'Mister J' Virginia City's most popular and talented barber. The younger one looked the same age as her Uncle Joe, maybe a little younger. He had blonde hair that touched his collar. Her grandfather would have made him go to that barber before coming on the trail. It was the young one that chased her; he was fast, but Alexandra zigged and zagged and burrowed herself into the very same bush she'd rescued the calves from.

As the young cowboy was trying to find a place where he could enter the thick shrub, the older one just went and got his stock whip from his saddled horn and snapped in the air.

"You best be getting yer tale outta that thicket there, boy," he warned Alexandra. "Ya have a bit of explainin' ta do. I 've caught many a castle rustler with my Maybelle here," he said, referring to the long stock whip that he had prepared to snap again _._

Alexandra pretended not to hear. She tucked her head under her arms and lay quietly under the thick bush.

"Okay you done asked fer it," he yelled, before snapping the whip at the roots of the surrounding bushes. As he did so bits of twigs and leaves started flying off here and there, leaving Alexandra exposed on one side, as her leafy hideaway was being stripped bare.

"Okay, Okay I give up," yelled Alexandra, and stood up with her hands in the air. "Jist don't flick me with that Mirabelle of yours mister. I ain't a cattle rustler; honest!"

"Well come outta there, then and we'll jist see, wont we."

Alexandra shuffled her way out of the bush and moved towards the older man. Even though he was the one holding the stock whip, there was something about the younger one that disturbed her. "You ain't the kinda folks that shoots an asks questions later are ya?" she asked trying to smile.

"Not usually," said the older man. "What you doing out here anyway? You seem a might small ta be out here all on yer own."

"I'm eleven," announced Alexandra now standing stock still in front of the man.

"Well that's mighty young ta be out here where's ya folks?" demanded the man.

"They might have been hiding in the bushes, Walt. Ya never know that youngin' might be a deploy or somethin' ya can see they tried to round up the calves. He couldn't done this by hisself."

"You mean decoy," corrected Alexandra. "I ain't here with anyone. I been riding drag for my daddy's herd and I found these young calves here and was jist going ta take em back to the herd."

"Right, decoy or not…" scoffed the young one, "Yer herd! Theys our cattle. That makes yer a cattle rustler and yer daddy too, most likely. We'll hang him first then you," he snarled.

Alexandra's eyes went wide. She didn't trust these men to listen to her story. She decided to take off again; this time she ran towards the trees to where she had Cally tied up. If she could just make it there, she might have a chance to mount her and take off before either of the cowboy got to their own horse.

"Now see what ya done, Cooper," yelled Walt. "You idjit. He's jist a kid." You best go get the boss. I'll handle this one. Now get afore I use this whip on you."

As Cooper mounted his horse and took off across the open plain behind them, Walt swung his whip in the air, then brang it down low, aiming it for Alexandra's waist. It wrapped around her painlessly yet tightly, just as she untied Cally. Walt pulled back a little and Alexandra landed in a cloud of dust on her backside. Her hat fell off revealing her short blonde braids.

"What in tarnation! Yer a girl, and a jist a sprout of a one at that," Walt yelled in surprise.

Cally got a fright and took off, leaving Alexandra and the remains of her lunch in a cloud of dust. "Now look what yer done!" accused Alexandra. "How am I supposed ta get home."

Walt walked towards the child, reeling in his stock whip as he went. "I'll go get ya pony, but only Iffin you promise not ta run off again. Sit here by this big tree till my boss comes. He'll want some answers, before he lets you go anywhere."

As Walt started off towards Cally, who had come to a halt some fifty yards away, Alexandra went to run again. This time she headed towards the open plain, where she whistled for Cally to cut across the field and meet her.

However, Walt was too quick and losing his patience to boot. He caught Alexandra squarely around the waist. "Yer more trouble than a bunch of stampeding steers," he grumbled. He waited until Cally was close enough to them and grabbed her reigns before moving back towards the tree. "Ya coulda called her in the first place," he said, "Come on pony, follow me," he said as he made his way across the field; a wriggling child tucked under one arm and leading a small white pony with the other hand. He came to the large tree beside the creek bed. "Jist fer that little girl, I'm gonna tie ya feet and hands. I'm too old ta be constantly chasin' ya. Iffin ya try anything again I'm gonna take a switch ta ya britches. Ya got it?"

"Yes, I got it, but please don't hurt Cally or hang me. My Dad's gonna be awful mad at me iffin ya do."

"I ain't gonna hung ya," he grumbled as he sat her down and started tying her to the tree with a rope he'd grabbed from his horse.

"Ya but that other one said…"

"Don't take no mind of that one. He's plumb trouble. Thinks he knows it all. The boss will sort this out. Now stay quiet, while I rest me bones a tad. What's ya name?"

Alexandra huffed and then belligerently clasped her lips shut.

Walt stood up and sighed while surveying his handy work with the ropes. He hadn't tied them too tight, but the kid was going nowhere just the same. He grabbed Cally's head collar and led her close to Alexandra, where the pony settled ground tied close by the tree. Walt then went to Alexandra saddle bags and rummaged through them trying to find any clues as to the child's identity. He found a change of clothes, some crumbs of what looked like pie, a couple of apples and a saddle branding iron. He looked at the design, not recognising it from any of the ranches around here, or ones he knew would be merging with the Cartwright herd. He then surveyed the small calves; none of them were branded. He recognised the weanlings from McKlintock's herd: his herd. Cooper had found the mothers that morning and had been sent out to find the calves. He had returned mid-morning without them, so the boss sent Walt and Cooper together this time. That's when they had then come across Alexandra.

He surveyed the calves again noting that one had a what appeared to be a painted brand. Some of the design was missing, however, and what parts did remain were similar to the design on the saddle iron. Perhaps the kid was with her father and this was their brand. And while they might have been in their rights to round up stray cattle and brand them, the unwritten law of the open range was that weanling calves belonged to the herds of their mothers. If the mothers were branded, then it was automatically considered that the calves belonged to the same herd and thus the same rancher. After a while should the calves not be found or reunited with the larger herd, then yeah — finders' keepers. These calves had only been separated that morning. This kid and the father she keeps referring to, may not be cattle rustlers in the true sense, but they were opportunists. His Boss wasn't going to like that. Walt put the saddle iron back in the saddle bag and went back down to talk to Alexandra.

Walt sat down under the shade of the tree next to the little girl, trying to think of a way to get any information out of her. If her father was around, he wanted to make sure he had his facts straight before making any accusations or getting himself caught up in something bigger that it appeared to be. He cleared his throat. "Sure, is nice under the shade ain't it? I hope those ropes aren't too tight. I just don't want ya getting hurt or lost any more than ya seem ta be."

"I ain't lost," replied Alexandra, lying somewhat, but she figured she couldn't be too far from where her father's herd was or maybe a day's ride back to O'Shaughnessy's. Now, the direction they were in was another matter — she hadn't quite figured that out yet, but well she hadn't had the time— had she.

"Okay. Good you ain't lost then. When my boss comes, we could maybe take you home to your dad. I bet he's real proud of you helpin out like you do."

"I hope he will be; I been rounded up stays for near a day now. Honest, mister I didn't know them was your strays."

"So you thought they was your daddy's? He got a ranch around, here has he?"

"Yep, he has. So ya see it's an easy mistake getting strays mixed up an all."

"Oh yeah we all make them mistakes, but when we find strays, we ain't sure about we don't go branding them until we're real sure. You do some branding for your daddy?"

"Oh no, I ain't supposed ta go near no hot fire or hot iron. I was jist practicing with a small iron. I don't actually brand them."

"So you just make a mark, with the saddle iron?"

"Yep I woulda used paint iffin I was home, but out here I jist wanted ta see iffin I could rope a calf, tie him and brand him. So, I used clay from the crick bed."

"That your daddy's brand you got in your saddle bag?"

"No, that ain't my daddy's. I found it. But I figured it was nice and small and I could practice with it."

"Ohh, so you don't know who it belongs to?"

"Nope, Ah found it mister. I told you that," said Alex, getting annoyed.

"Sorry yep, I remember now. You from around here, you don't quite sound like yer from around her. Got a bit of a mix in that drawl of yours, a bit of south, a bit of east and some fancy talk like. You know what a decoy is little miss?"

"You should only ask one question at a time ya know. Its flabbergasting trying ta think about all the answers ya all want at once."

"Okay, do you live around here?"

"No, but not too far. That way, she said pointing to a direction where she thought the Ponderosa may be."

"Good; there's one or two ranches over that way. Mak will know more."

"What's yer daddy's name?"

"I ain't tellin ya that. He's got nothing ta do with all this."

"But you said you were helpin him."

"I am, but well… he don't know… hey I ain't saying no more…"

"Okay then," sighed Walt. After a moment he continued, "So what's a decoy then?"

"Don't ya know?" asked Alex.

"Nope, I don't know what a decoy is," smirked Walt.

"It's a lure; a trap, like when ya put a fake duck on the pond so lots of other ducks thinks they got friends, and theys go a play in the pond with the decoy duck. Then the Duck hunters come along and shoot as many of the ducks before they can fly off."

"Pretty tricky of them Duck hunters," guffawed Walt.

"Yeah, but it ain't fair play is it. Cause, all them ducks were doing was tryin' ta be friendly and all, and the decoy ducks all alone, so those real ducks jist wanted ta make that one lonely duck not feel so insulated, no I… I mean…"

"Isolated…" corrected Walt.

"Yeah alone in the middle of nowhere. But they got shot for being good ducks, and those that do get away is never gonna trust an isolated duck sitting in a pond all by itself ever again…"

"Well if they're smart ducks they won't," scoffed Walt.

"Yep those of them that are smart ain't gonna be fooled again," Alexandra looked up into the old cowboys face with a sad frown on her face and her lip tucked up under her top teeth. "Ceptin what happens when it's a real duck that gots itself lost and has no -one ta help it back to its flock; it's now jist a sitting duck for those shooters."

"Yep That's real sad. That how you feel? Your daddy's jist left you has he; all alone, like a sittin' duck."

"He don't mean too: he's just got a lot a work ta do, and well I ain't that good of a hand yet, so I weren't supposed ta go… There ya go again, luring me; trickin' me inta tellin ya stuff that might make things a lot worsa."

"Okay… Okay. Jist sit here nice and quiet alright." Walt nervously checked his surroundings. He thought he'd figured out the situation here: The kid and her father were probably newcomers to the area, opportunists; picking up strays where they could; maybe they needed the money real bad, maybe the kid had no mother and they had to scratch out a living any way they could. But what Walt couldn't take was the idea that the kids' father would just abandon her. Was the man watching and waiting, or had the low life just left her to fend for herself. Either way, if Walt caught up to the man, he was going punch him square on the nose and then let Mak handle him for practically stealing his calves.

Walt had started to doze off sitting in the shade of that ole tree. Alexandra sat there wondering about how much trouble she would be in once this man; "Mak the Boss" arrived. She heard the dull sounds of Walt snoozing, so started pulling at the ropes trying to get free. She had just loosened them enough, when both her and Walt Jumped near out of their skins when they heard a booming baritone voice.

"Walt! What in blazes are ya doing?" called the commanding voice.

Walt jumped up, as a large man on a large horse, followed by the younger cowboy, 'Cooper' bought their horses to a standstill four feet from him. "Well Boss, I reckon there's a big story here. So far as I see it; we got us a miniature cattle rustler." he laughed. "He done holed up in that there bush, and when I got him out with my Maybelle here, I figured out he weren't no he, but a little she." He said turning around to point at the child.

But Alexandra wasn't there. She had been able to loosen the rope that old Walt had sympathetically and purposely tied lightly. So once again she had taken off to the safety of the thick bushes, hoping that the big man on the big horse couldn't see her. He was quite an intimidating sight. He sat tall in the saddle wearing dark pants, and red shirt, covered by a long dark brown duster. A huge grey eight-inch Stetson cowboy hat sat on his head. The silver bull skull ornament that was attached to the centre of the hat band stared eerily down at those on the ground. The cowboy's huge long legs cradled a huge bay with a long white nose. Alexandra looked at the size of his heavy cowboy boots; they were bigger than the size of her forearms. Then to top it all off; holding back the sides of his long duster and strapped to his dark brown leather chaps, were two large pistols.

Mak leaned on his saddle horn and looked at Walt, with a smirk on his face. "Yer mean the little gal that jist ran into those bushes." He drawled when pointing to a shaking bush.

Walt looked left then looked right then shuffled around in circles, half hoping that Alexandra hadn't really taken off again. "Confound it! I done told her what I'd do iffin she bolted again." Walt grabbed his stock whip.

"Well yer gonna take a finger off with that thing or give the youngin a heart attack; that there bush is shaking like a dog shi… ahh … poopin' cactus leaves."

"Ahh Mak, you know I'm a dead-eye with my Maybelle here. I ain't come close enough ta cause any damage … YET!" He emphasized throwing the word over his shoulder as a reminder to Alexandra of his earlier threat were, she to run off again.

"I ain't a cattle rustler," yelled Alexandra from her hiding spot.

"Well then," said Mak, "You ain't got no cause to worry. Get out of there, I'll keep old Walt at bay."

"Are you the boss?" asked Alexandra.

"I am… Indeed. McKlintock's the name, most people call me Mak. You can call me Mr Mak, youngin. Now come out here an explain what you are doing with three of my calves."

"Ya promise ta hear me out and not go hangin me afore I done told ya everything?" inquired Alexandra.

"I promise I won't be hangin' nobody. Here! Walt! Put that stock whip away. The kid can't be too much of a threat; by the looks of the size of that bush."

"But, she's a foxy one, boss."

"I ain't a foxy one. He done keep threatened ta take that stock whip of his to me."

"He won't take Maybelle to ya britches; I won't let him, but I'm getting a might impatient myself, so you get yerself outta there and we'll parlay Little Gal."

"Okay then," said Alexandra. In truth she didn't have much choice. She couldn't hole up in the bush all day. And while the big man was intimidating, he sounded honest. She brushed herself down, as she came out of the bush and then gave Walt an unsympathetic glare. "Don't know why he calls it Maybelle."

"He named it after some wh… ah… lady he met a long time ago. She was real special," said Mak from atop his mount. He leant over the horn of his saddle. "So, you want ta tell me your story, or am I gonna have ta take yer to the nearest law. What were you doing with those weanlings there?"

"No, you don't have to take me to no law, honest, mister I was just playing cowboy; you know pretendin' I was on a big round up collectin' strays."

"Said she was helping her Pa," snarled Cooper. "Maybe he's still around Boss, you want me ta look?"

"No, I don't," snapped Mak sounding annoyed at the interruption. "What I want you do to is get those weanlings back to the herd like ya should done three hours ago," he yelled.

"Okay Boss, sure. Walt you ready?" asked a stammering Cooper.

Walt had gone over to retrieve Cally and was walking the pony back to its master. "Yeah in a bit," he said. Walt then waited for Cooper to rustle up the calves and run them back towards their mothers. "Cooper might have a point, Boss. Here what you make of this?" he said handing Mak the saddle iron he'd taken out of Alexandra's saddle bags. "Says she found it."

"Found it. Sure, this ain't your daddy's brand is it? He been branding my cattle with it?" asked Mak sounding fierce.

"No sir, I did find it. And, I was helping my daddy, too — yesterday morning — before he left for the round up. But he took his branding irons with him. I found this one."

"So, your daddy left you, behind did he?"

"Not exactly, sir— Mr Mak I mean. He sent me to stay with A family friend, Mrs O'Shaunassey while he went on the trail. He's in charge of the round up for our ranch; he's the Ramrod."

"The Ramrod, hey! He' can't be both the boss and the Ramrod," said Walt.

"Yeah he can… well my grandpa owns the ranch and the stock and all, with my daddy and his brothers, so he's the big boss, but my daddy's in charge of the actual drive, so he's a bit of both along with my Uncle. I was helping, and then well I kinda thought I could help some more, cause, well I want ta at least to be able to see that my daddy's safe. I can't do that iffin I'm not on the actual trail. I want ta be a cowhand, but I ain't gonna learn anything staying on jist an egg farm. I need on the job experience; my Uncle says that. So, I been practicing my ropin' skills and my branding skills with that saddle iron I found. There — ya see I ain't a cattle rustler, so iffin you'll just let me get on my pony, I'll head off."

Mak was getting an idea who Alexandra may well be, his eyebrow raised as he recognised a particular reference the child had made. "Well, well, little miss, I've got an idea, you might be telling the truth, but it all sounds a little far fetched."

"Good so you ya won't hang me, then?"

Mak had the child's confidence, but he knew if he didn't handle the next line of inquiry carefully the child would bolt. "Sure, but first you got to tell me… What's yer name and exactly what ya doing out here all by yerself?"

"Oh, that easy. My names Alex. My daddy and me we jist got back from San Francisco. My momma was in an institution, she was real sick and couldn't remember things. Well I've only had my daddy a little while cause my momma didn't tell him about me. When they took her away, my daddy came and got me. So then, jist three weeks ago we got momma out of that institution, but she died. My daddy's all I got left and I was scared he was going ta get hurt while he was on the cattle trail. I wanted ta go but I ain't good enough yet… but I followed him and kept finding his strays and pushing them back to his herd. Then I come along, these ones and I thought theys were his. So, I thought I could get some more practice in. So, when I do catch up with my daddy, I'll be a good enough hand, even iffin I have ta do some of them dirty jobs.

Taking a big breath, Alex continued explaining, "Ya see, that brand ain't mine, my daddy's brand is a big Pine Tree, and I weren't stealing ya cattle, and my daddy weren't stealing ya cattle. And, I wasn't stealing ya cattle for anybody else neither. I found it, Iffin I was stealing ya cattle, wouldn't I be stealing ya cattle for myself, and iffin I was stealing them for myself I woulda used our cattle brand, though I wouldn't really cause I think its mean and hurts them too much, but mainly, I'm not allowed to go near the fire or light one myself. My daddy would bust my hide iffin I did that. He' also taught me not to steal too; grandpa says it's a sin, besides being a sin; it ain't nice ta take something that doesn't belong to you. My daddy would be real mad at me iffin he thought I done stole anything. He'd be real mad at me iffin I got myself hung as a cattle rustler. I wouldn't like him bein mad at me for that; I wouldn't like being hung either, but I'd be most ashamed to be a dead cattle rustler. I guess, I'd be most upset ta be a dead anything."

Walt looked up at his boss and shrugged, "I lost her train of thought after Oh that's easy…" After a few seconds his eyes went wide as the revelation came to him. "Hey ain't that Pine Tree the Ponderosa Brand?"

"Yup. Walt, I'm thinking this little one could be kin to one of the Ponderosa hands or even a Cartwright herself."

Alexandra pursed her lips and crossed her arms in annoyance. "You don't know that fer sure," she tested.

"Don't know, exactly who is your daddy maybe or what his first name is, but I do know what the Ponderosa brand is, and I do know Ben Cartwright and his three boys. Ya could belong to anyone of them; ya got their mischievous nature in ya. I heard Adam had a little girl he found out about two year ago. Come on now, what's yer daddy's name?"

"I can't tell ya that! Sides how do I know theys are your cattle anyhow? You could be jist saying that. You could be cattle rustlers. I could be putting my daddy in jeopardy tellin ya that. That was the reason I was out here in the first place."

"Well they are my cattle and yer going ta have ta take my word on that," smiled Mak.

"Jist like yer gonna take my word Mister Mak?"

"I am, but you belong to someone. Someone smart. I'm guessing you got the gift of the gab, from them…"

"Perforated. People say I'm perforated; I can bring people round ta my side of thinking. I could be a lawyer one day maybe."

"You mean persuasive," laughed Mak. "Though perforated is more to it; there a few holes in ya story, Little Gal. Ya got a mischievous nature in ya. So, can ya tell me yer mommas name; the one that was in the institution?"

"That's right," said Walt. "So, the kids' mother was nutty as a fruit cake and in some insane asylum?"

"She weren't nutty! You ain't go right ta sat such a mean thing," yelled Alexandra as she plunged at the man and kicked him square in the shin.

Walt yelped and started hoping around. "Why you little squirt, I orta…"

"Quit ya hollering Walt, I woulda' kicked yer for that too. Sorry, Little Gal , Walt's a nice fella – really. He's been my right-hand man for years. I don't trust nobody more than him. He's just ain't got no decorum."

"Huh?" asked Alex.

"Diplomacy; don't know when he should keep his thoughts to himself, or don't know how ta ask something in a nice way. But, he's a real good man," nodded Mak.

"Okay, sorry, Mr Walt, but my momma was sick. I loved her very much even though she weren't like normal folk. She died near on four weeks ago. My daddy got her outa the insane asylum because theys was making her sicker, but well it was too late."

Walt felt like a real heel. The kid was as cute as a button, and while she was a little foxy in her ways appeared sincere. "Yeah I'm sorry kid too."

Alex smiled, "Well then I'll let you folks get on ya way. I better head back home. to Mrs O'Shaughnessy's."

"Not so fast," ordered Mak. "You ain't going anywhere."

"But you said iffin I told you everything about my daddy's brand, I could go," complained Alex.

"I said I weren't gonna hang yer," clarified Mak.

"Ya did too, ya mighten' a said exactly, but ya let me believe ya would. Ya tricked me! I need to get back and iffin I leave it much longer it'll be too dark. Sides, iffin ya believe I ain't a cattle rustler then ya should let me go, ya got no legal hold on me. I know my rights. I have a real good friend who's a lawyer and he could put you in jail for holding me against my will, when I ain't done nothing wrong."

"You're right but I ain't letting ya go. For one thing it's getting too late and it would be too dark for you to be travelling alone out here. I'm scheduled to meet up with the Ponderosa herd this afternoon. And I can't delay that. We're joining your herd for the drive to the rail yards. I now have a moral obligation to keep you safe, so you best come with me. We might jist meet up with your daddy, then you'll be safe."

"Oh No, mister. I ain't gonna be that safe with my daddy either. He's gonna skin me alive for going off."

"Or for getting caught," said Walt. "Can't be too much of a good father ta leave out here all alone."

Mak scowled at Walt. "Ya jumpin' to conclusions, Walt; I'd say her daddy don't know she is here." Then he leant over and spoke to the child that looked up at him. "Ya Pa has the right ta be angry. You shoulda thought about that before you took off on your own adventure there, youngin. Besides, don't you want to make sure he's still safe? You said that was one of the reasons you followed him."

"Yes sir, I was afraid something bad might happen like it did my momma. But… but…" Alexandra had to think of something fast. She had meant to stay hidden for as long as she could; still within close proximity to the drive, but too far from home to be sent back. A spanking was a given once she was discovered, but Alexandra was hoping that they wold be closer to the rail yards and the inconvenience of her father or one of the hands having to take her back home would mean that she would most likely get to stay. If Mak delivered his herd to her father's, he also would be delivering her to her father. Two punishments were highly likely; a spanking and then sent home.

Mak looked down from his horse and watched the child intently; figuring she was thinking of some way out of this. Truth was; even if they might be closer to her home, he didn't want the kid out here. There was something not sitting right with him. And, he wasn't taking any chances that someone was watching their cattle and making plans. If they were watching his, chances were they were also watching all the other herds coming through this route. Perhaps the kid had thwarted those someone else's plans. The kid or her father obviously didn't need another tragedy in their lives. Whatever; she could well be in danger. "Well youngin, get up on yer pony there and we'll get going. Walt you get the herd to the pass. I'll take Alexandra across the range to meet up with the Cartwrights, shouldn't take me more than an hour that way.

Alexandra gathered Cally's reigns while Mak gave Walt some last-minute instructions. "When you get back get a rough head count done Walt. If anything's worryin ya, cut across the ridge you'll catch up to me there."

Once mounted, Alex tried to move slowly away.

Mak could see the slow movement from the corner of his eye. "I'm watching you youngin," he growled without taking his eyes off Walt.

Alexandra stopped Cally and looked up at the large man, "Okay Mr Mak, I'll follow you fer a while." Then, she thought, once I see that my daddy is okay, I'll take mah leave.

Mak didn't trust her at all, there was a sincerity to the kid, but there was something off too. He was sure as hell that she would look for any opportunity to take off. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to figure it out right now. Hopefully they would get more answers tonight once they got to the main heard.

Before Alex realised what was happening, she found herself hauled into the air, and plonked face down over Mak's thighs. Quick as a flash Mak applied four hearty slaps with his large open hand to the seat of her britches, then picked her up by the waist of those same britches, turned her around and sat her on his horse in front of him; secured between the large saddle horn and Mak's iron hard chest.

The swats took Alex's breath away, once she could draw enough air in she yelled, "YEOWWWWW, what… blaz…yewowwwa… did ya do that afore?" She wailed as she tried to get to her stinging rump to rub at it.

Mak pushed her back down firmly. "Any more false promises from you, little gal and there's at least ten more of those I can fire off. Now you're gonna sit up front with me until we get to the main herd. Your gonna give your little pony a good rest ta boot; instead of being tempted to take her off on a wild gallop; she's done enough work today already. So, sit back and don't give me any more nonsense. Am I making myself clear?"

Alex wriggled in the saddle and pouted. Mak's hand was as big as a shovel and stung like the dickens. For now, she'd just have to concede. Maybe she'd think of something before she got to her father's herd. Yesterday had been such a great day, now she was in for a world of grief for sure.

When Alex didn't answer straight away, Mak landed a hard swat to her thigh. "I want an answer."

Alex nodded.

"Your words," prompted Mak, with another swat; this time to her other thigh.

"Yeoww!" yelped Alex. "Yes sir, Mr Mak. You intend setting my whole body of fire? I think I would fare better with Walt's old Maybelle."

"You might have at just that. But I won't take none of your mischief anymore and when I meet up with the big heard and get my stock settled, you and me are gonna talk some more." Mak paused before saying anymore, hoping to see a reaction in Alex which may confirm his beliefs. "The other ranch Bosses are gonna maybe want to hear your story, too. But, don't think you will get away with anything there either; Ben Cartwright and his son Adam are formidable men. They're fair but firm men; they'll see through any cock and bull straight away. They won't hold to it and you could find yourself in real trouble with them."

 _Ya preachin' to the converted, Mr Mak,_ thought Alex. Just that notion re- kindled the sting in her backside that little bit more.

"Or even the law," continued Mak, noticing her discomfort. "So, you just sit there on your stinging tail, and work out how's this gonna play out. I reckon you gotta about an hour before we arrive and about another while I get you settled." Mak gave Cally a long lead and then tied her reigns to the back of his own saddle so the little pony could trot at a safe distance behind his big bay.

"Yes sir," harrumphed Alex, "OUCHHHHH…" wincing again when Mak's big bay took off and she jolted up and down on his large saddle. This time tears came to her eyes. Besides the misery that her sore backside was giving her, she was starting to regret her impulsive reactions and deceptions of the last two days.

Mak her heard the sniffle and saw her wipe at the tears that trickled down her cheeks. He kicked his horse into a smoother canter. "Just sit back a little. My saddles old and pretty soft; you'll feel comfortable in no time."

Alex looked behind her, "What about Cally?"

Mak looked back the little pony who was following happily behind. "We'll slow up some if she gets too tired."

"She'd follow me; you probably don't need the lead, Mr Mak."

"Maybe. You let me know if she looks to be havin' trouble. It's a good little pony yer got there. Your Father buy you that?"

"No sir I got her for my birthday from Lajoci."

"Oh Lajoci; your beau, is he?" asked Mak with a smirk.

"No sir, he's my friend that's all. He's Paiute. He broke Cally in."

"AHHH, well I can see she's been gentled real nice. Got stamina too I can see. Yes sir, Little Gal; you got a real nice Pony there."

"Good enough for a real cowboy, Mr Mak?" Asked Alex, hopefully.

"Ohh yes Little Gal that's a real good beginners cowboy pony." He laughed.

Alex laughed with him.

~oOo~

For the next half an hour, Mak and Alex rode at a comfortable pace chatting away not realising they are being watched from a nearby crop of trees. One, a middle-aged gentleman was well dressed in a suit and tie, but with a duster over the top and black hat. The other, a dark haired man in his early thirties was dressed in trail gear, a dark leather vest and long leather jacket with two revolvers strapped to his hips and a long rifle stored in a scabbard that was attached to the front of his saddle within easy reach .

The dark-haired man wiped his brow with his necktie. "I reckon that's the girl our man was talking about Boss."

"Yeah, well she could be real trouble. That's Mcklintock, she's with. He said pointing to the riders he could see in the open. He's no fool. You need to get down there and get her back here. We need to find out what's she seen. If our man is right and her fathers in the area, he might be trouble too."

"How do I do that, Boss? What if she's already told Mcklintock, everything?"

"You need to suss that out. Say you're a wrangler on your way to a job at a nearby ranch; my ranch will do; that way it will make sense when my cattle get to the rail yard. Say you saw her alone or something and thought she might be lost. If McKlintock doesn't seem suspicious, say you believe I'm her daddy and you'll bring her home. "

"Okay Boss."

"Oh! And, better get that black vest off, you look like a gunslinger. Got a dusty looking coat in your bags?"

"Yeah Boss," smiled the dark-haired man. He jumped from his horse and pulled out a well-worn brown coat. He slapped it on the ground to gather some dust, then took off his leather coat and vest and stored them away before putting on the dusty one. He then took off after the two riders, before they could disappear into the next valley.

Mak held onto Alexandra tightly. He'd caught some movement from the corner of his eye. He subconsciously always surveyed his surroundings, more so in open areas. Like Ben Cartwright he'd built up strong holdings in land the cattle business, but it had always sported danger and the spoiling by desperate men of the west. He still had a good range in his peripheral vision, so when spied the movement, he didn't turn, but instead secured the small child in front of him protectively.

Alex sensed the faint squeeze and looked up under Mak's chin to see what had caused the shifting weight of his body. When she saw that he looked straight ahead with no tell-tale signs expressed on his face, she started to look around him to the open plain. Mak squeezed her thigh gently. "Jist stay looking ahead."

Alex did immediately what Mak had suggested, recognising the caution in his tone.

"When this fellow gets here, let me do all the talking. You got that."

"What's wrong Mr Mak?" whispered Alex.

"I'm not sure, Little Gal, maybe nothing. Jist do as I say."

Mak then suddenly turned his horse to face the oncoming rider. He was now a little over ten yards away. Once he was closer but not too close Mak. "Whoa there, fella; that's far enough," he said, as he subtly drew back the side of his duster to reveal his sidearm. "What can I do for you?"

The dark-haired man lifted up his arms. "I'm no threat mister. I jist noticed you and the kid there crossing the field."

"And jist why would we be of interest to you?" asked Mak calmly.

"None really, mister. Ceptin I've been camped out here in this area overnight and I saw the kid there on her own earlier in the day, and well I thought she mighten have been lost. Well I'm jist making sure she's okay."

"I'm okay, mister I was jist… "Alexandra stopped suddenly, when Mak tapped her leg lightly.

"Well yeah she's okay, so when did you say you saw her and why didn't you check in on her then if you were so worried?"

"Well, like I said I just spotted her this morning over at the crik bed. Didn't take much notice at first, but then I seen she was still there later. My horse took on a stone. Once I cleared it, I clean forgot about the kid until I saw her now. You a relative?"

"Are you?"

"No sir, but if you isn't, I think I know who might be her family."

Alex tensed, thinking that she may have been caught out. She didn't recognise the man from her father's hands, but then she didn't know them all. And, well in fact was she was caught out. There was no way she was getting away from Mak. Unless of course this man created an option. But, Mak was suspicious. This man may be dangerous, she thought, and she best not jump into any worse trouble than she was already in.

Mak avoided giving the man any more information, as far as he was concerned, the man had already slipped up. He couldn't have known Alex was a girl unless he'd seen more or was told more… or he really did know who her family was and who was looking for her. "What are ya doing out here?" asked Mak.

"I've got a position bout twenty miles east of here with a rancher getting ready to take his beeves to the market stockyards. I'm supposed to start tomorrow. Rancher has a family. I here he has a girl about nine or ten."

"I'm Eleven," interrupted Alex.

Mak squeezed on the leg again prompting her to stop talking.

"Nine, ten or eleven then. Anyway, if she's not Forsyth's girl I'll be on my way but, if she is well, I'm heading that way I could take her home."

"Forsyth you say; he got ranch twenty miles from here; you say. Never heard of him."

"Oh, I hear its jist a small spread. Only had the spread for about three years. His wife's family had owned it; a brother or something. Forsyth and his wife took it over when the brother got sick. Slowly been building up his spread. Can't tell you much more than that. Like I said I start there tomorrow. So, kid what ya doing out here anyway, I bet your mommas real worried."

"My momma's…" Mak squeezed her leg again. "Not worried about me. Well she might be jist a little but…"

Mak interrupted before Alex could say anymore. "Okay Mister, it was good of you to make sure this situation was alright. I can tell you this little Gal isn't kin of mine, but she isn't kin of your Mr Forsyth either. She got separated from her daddy's trail camp. And, Im takin her back there."

"That's all and fine sir, but I'd surely like to hear that from the girl there. You doing all the talking is making me a might suspicious." He looked at Alex. "So, kid what do ya say. This fella taking you back to your Pa, is he?"

"Yes sir, he is," sighed Alexandra. Mak was taking her to her father; he just didn't know it.

"So, your daddy's name isn't Forsyth, then?"

"No sir."

"What's his name, then?"

Mak interjected again before Alex could answer. Mak was afraid she would refuse to answer, like she had done with him, and that could cause a lot more grief than he was willing to risk at this stage. "She's answered your questions, son, now you best be on your way."

"Okay then… then that's all good. Just one more question jist ta make sure. You been lost a long-time, Small Fry?" asked the man.

Alexandra didn't like this man, and she didn't like being called Small Fry. "I ain't lost" she growled.

"Alright, Small Fry jist as long as your all good. Well, see you then; might see you at those sales yards in a couple of weeks," claimed the dark-haired man.

"You might at that," answered Mak. "You be sure to tell Mr Forsyth about this meeting. I'll be sure to look him up if he's there; tell him what a fine upstanding hand he has there – looking out for lost kids an all." He added a little sarcastically for good measure.

The dark-haired man gave him a glare that told Mak that he'd recognized the veiled suspicion and what felt like a threat. He then turned his horse and rode off in the direction in which he came.

Mak didn't move until he was well out of sights. "Well that was a might interesting'"

Alexandra looked up into Mak's face noticing the frown the man had on his face. Mak's eyebrows were a reddish grey but they were as thick and expressive as her fathers. "How come ya didn't tell him you done found me, Mr Mak? How come you made up that story about you taking me back to my pa. How come you knowed that this Mr Forsyth wasn't my pa?" asked Alex one question after the other.

"A couple of things, Alex. For one; you didn't recognise the name Forsyth; you gave no reaction when he mentioned that name. You were a little worried that he mighta known ya pa, but when he mentioned the name you was almost relieved," He chuckled. "You also told me your ranch was west of here. Or…. have you been lying about that. "

"No sir, I've been truthful with you; I mean everything I done told you is the truth. I…"

"You jist haven't told me everything," concluded Mak.

"That's right," confessed Alex.

"You know that's exactly the same as being untruthful, don't you?"

"Yes sir, but…"

"There's no, Buts…Tell me something, Alex. Why didn't you take the opportunity to go with him, I mean you could have got away and maybe gotten home like you said."

"Cause, I think your right, Mr Mak. It's too late for me to head home and I couldn't find my way in the dark. I guess my gut told me that wouldn't be a better Idea. And well … I trust you more. Don't know why, but I do."

"What did your gut tell you about that man. What instincts have you got for keeping yourself out of danger?"

"I didn't like him at all Mr Mak. He called me Small Fry for starters. But his face didn't look right. Like he weren't ugly or anything, he jist, well my Uncle Hoss would say he jist got a bad head."

"A bad head; yep he's got a bad head, alright."

"Jist like a loco steer, or a mean cougar, or a hungry crocodile," exaggerated Alex.

"You've seen a hungry crocodile have you," laughed Mak.

"No sir, Mr Mak, but I seen pictures and theys have bad heads."

"Well that's a good sense to have. So, you didn't think you would take the chance and go with him."

"Nah. And, I figured I could be getting myself in more trouble than I'm already in."

"I think you are right on two counts; his bad head and you ending up in more trouble than you probably are in. What else did you pick up with his cockamamie story?"

"Well he knew I was a girl. So, he must have seen me before your Mr Walt found me. Mr Walt thought I was a boy up until you and your other hand come by."

"Or, somebody told him, there was little girl chasin' stray cattle out here."

"Yeah… then he said I had a momma, and you know that weren't true."

"Yeah, I believe you about your momma being sick. You got too mad at Walt and his insult for it to be a lie. You've got good instincts, little Gal. Notice he didn't give us his name, and he didn't ask for mine."

"That's pretty rude. Huh?"

"It is, but I'd bet my last dollar that he knew who I was. He didn't know who you were, but he knew you didn't belong to me."

"Why ya reckon he's so interested in me?"

"Not sure, Little Miss Alexandra Cartwright."

Alex whipped her head around so fast she came close to hitting Mak's jaw. "Huh… How … did…Ya don't know thet fer sure," she repeated.

Mac laughed. "I do know fer sure. You're a real little chatterbox. You give away information all the time. That's why I wanted you to be quiet like when that man rode up. You nearly put ya foot into it. I've had my suspicions about who you might be since you told me about the Ponderosa brand when we was with Walt, but you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned your Uncle Hoss. Hoss Cartwright isn't a common name. Little Joe Cartwright's too young ta be ya daddy, though I reckon you have a bit of his mischievousness in ya. So that makes Adam your daddy; right?"

"Yes sir," sighed Alex, resigned now to the fact that she would be delivered into her father arms, and his wrath.

"So, you was jist playin' 'me all this time," accused Alex; indignation in her tone.

"Any you weren't playin' me?" Scolded Mak in return. "I wasn't one hundred percent sure, though. You could have made up your story and someone could have told you about the Ponderosa brand, your daddy coulda been a Ponderosa hand, or someone that's knows a real lot about them. But, I also didn't see a and out and out lie in your words or your face. I remember there being a story running about two years ago; about Adam and his little girl commin to live with him; about you coming and about your momma. So, I jist waited ta see what else I could find out. It all makes sense now. And, well I'm glad you didn't go with that bad head."

"Would you have let me go, iffin I lied and said I knew him?"

"No I wouldn't have let you go with him, Alexandra."

"What iffin he tried to take me?" She asked.

"Well then I guess I would have had ta shoot him," declared Mak.

"Ohh, well I'm glad I wasn't stupid enough ta go with him then. You mighta got hurts, too."

"Maybe. I'm takin' it your daddy doesn't know you followed him?"

"No sir, he's gonna kill me when he sees me…"

"Well I can't see him doing that, but if you were mine, you'd be standing up for camp meals for about a week."

"Yes sir. I expect that. I reckon my whole family will have a bit of my hide when they catch up with me."

"Well I suppose they worry about you too. You put yourself in danger being out here all alone for three nights. "

"I weren't all alone till today. I've been following the herd. Picking up stay calves and sending back towards heard or the hands searching for them or their mommas. Yesterday afternoon I made camp near Hop Sing's chuck wagon, behind some bushes, but then I had to move further away cause he done nearly caught me. I caused a commotion too, so I reckon Hop Sing when he figures it out he's gonna take his wooden spoon to my hide..."

"A commotion – You. No. What, I don't believe it. What sort of mischief could you possibly make? You; you have the face of an angel," he chuckled.

"I might have the face of an angel; my Grandpa says so, but well my daddy says I'm payback for little Joe, and I'm mis… chev …eous."

"Hmm, yes well I can see that," he said with a smirk. "So what happened?"

"Well jist afore supper last night, I snaffled me some of Hop Sings doughnuts. He done made near almost a thousand, I reckon. There was this real huge platter on the chuck table. He was making more too; there was another big bowl full of batter next to the already made doughnuts platter While Hop Sing was down at the crik to get water, I picked at least ten doughnuts and put them in my saddle bags. I only took the first layer off the top. Uncle Hoss told me that they sometimes feed weanlings cake as such to get their bellies used to solid food, then they get them eating grass. I thought iffin I found any more weanlings; I could coax them with some doughnuts. Then, I thought some of the batter would be good too, cause it was liquid and had a bit of milk in it… So… So I empties my canteen and was trying to ladle some of the batter into it, but it was taking too long,

Well it felt like it was taking too long; but it's funny like that ain't it; you know; when ya doing something wrong it always feels like it's taking forever. Then iffin ya get caught, waiting for ya punishment feels like it's taking forever too. My daddy makes me stand in the corner of our fireplace next to the blue chair. He does that to make me think about what I done wrong. Ceptin, it don't take that long to think about what ya done wrong, so the rest of the time ya jist waiting for the lickin ya probably gonna get. That makes it feel like ya been standing in that corner ya whole life and not jist ten minutes. Dad makes me stand there for the same number of minutes of my age; ten minutes, but I'm eleven now, ceptin he's hasn't changed it to eleven minutes yet. And, I ain't gonna remind him either, cause if ten minutes feels like forever then, eleven minutes is gonna feel one day longer than forever; forever and a day like they say. Dad also only smacks my backside ten times; it's the age rule thing too. "

"No eleven paddles, yet?"

"Nope hasn't picked that up on that either," said Alex. She turned her head to look up at back up at Mak and asked, "You ain't gonna tell him are you, Mr Mak?"

"He's sure to figure it out on his own, darling,'" responding to her, adding a sad frown.

Alex sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "Yep eventually. Well anyway, at least I've had a little bit of a discount, up until now."

"Let's hope he doesn't back pay on this wrongdoing," suggested Mak.

"Oh! Now, why ya go and say that for, Mr Mak. I'm gonna be feeling mighty stressed out all the way to Dads camp."

"Relax, tell me the rest of your doughnut story. It sounds interesting."

"Well it is, and kinda funny too, but it weren't funny at the time, especially for Hope Sing, Grandpa and Uncle Hoss, but Uncle Little Joe and Dad thought it was real funny. I could hear Uncle Joe laughing and cackling from ten miles away, I reckon."

Mak laughed, he remembered little Joe some years back, the youngster was a ball of energy and had a laugh that was infectious and quite unique. "So, what happened?"

"Well I was in such a rush to pour the batter, that when I heard someone commin' I hid real quick. I left the batter bowl too close to the edge of the chuck wagon's folded table. That when Uncle Hoss come along and that's when the pantomimeian started. "

"Pantomimeian?" asked Mak for clarification.

"Yeah," said Alex, "you know all hell broke loose, cepting dad doesn't like me saying that hell word, my Grandmama she's say things like the shi…"

"Oh, okay I get it; you mean pandemonium; mayhem. Pantomime is a silly and funny play; a performance."

"Oh yeah! I know that my momma was in the theatre. They were plays where the actors exaggerated; theys were real funny. Anyway, this was kind of like that too, so I guess the action played out like a pantomime, but the result was mayhem; pandemonium" smiled Alex

Mak laughed. "You're a smart Little Gal."

"I am sometimes, though thinking I could tag along on my daddy's trail ride wasn't so clever."

"No, it wasn't. I'd guess that there is some more pandemonium coming your way when your father sees you."

"Paddlemoanian, ya mean… my butt's gonna get paddled and I'll be the one moaning," scoffed Alex.

Mak threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Come on finish your story. We at least have another good laugh before we get to your fathers' herd. "

"Yeah well everyone's laughing and having a good time and eventually I won't be. Anyway, where was I. Oh yeah Uncle Hoss came, and I quickly hid behind the bushes nearby.

 _ **Flashback**_

Hoss dragged his saddle and dumped it with his bedroll. He'd finished his shift for the night and wouldn't get back to the herd until the midnight shift. Good ole Adam always made sure Hoss was going to be there for the first meal shift, which was only an hour away. Though a snack wouldn't go astray, he thought. After dropping his saddle, he turned and spotted the chuck wagon. There was a split second when he caught some movement out of the corner of his eyes. Concerned it was animal he made his way over to the back of the wagon. There he saw the large platter of freshly made doughnuts and started helping himself to them. As he put one in his mouth, he grabbed another and put it his back pocket, then another to replace the one he had in his mouth as soon as he finished.

WHACK! A sharp sting penetrated the seat of his britches and he quickly spun around, only to find an angry Hop Sing welding a wooden spoon. "AMFPT.. whaddadi that ferb," cried Hoss around a mouthful of doughnut.

Hop Sing shook his wooden spoon at Hoss and then pointed to the platter. "Mister Hoss wait. You greedy; make two doughnuts for each man. You eat lots already."

GULP. Hoss swallowed his doughnut. "Now that ain't true, Hop sing I jist ate one." He held up the doughnut in his hand "and this here is will be my second one."

"Well where others go!" Accused Hop Sing, "They no just disappear into thin air!" He yelled.

Adam, Joe and Ben were having a conversation around the pit fire when they heard the commotion. They wandered over and stood just behind Hoss, and far enough from Hop Sing in case the little man swung that wooden spoon around at them. Adam and Joe were happy to be observers of the dressing down that Hoss was getting; no matter how big their brother was, when either Ben or Hops Sing were scolding him, Hoss would always revert to that little boy with his hand caught in the cookie jar; well in this case the doughnut platter which wasn't uncommon on the drive either. Unfortunately, with Hop Sing being the trail cook this time, meant this cook was much more astute than previous cooks, and especially aware of Hoss' huge appetite. Hop Sing of course would never deny Hoss food, but it was a game they played with the big man often. Hoss never really caused any problems, but it was always a bit a fun to watch him try and explain himself; stuttering and umming and ahrring when he'd been caught. However, this time Hoss was nearly as angry as Hop Sing- nearly being the operative word; Hoss very rarely got angry, it was more that this time he was indignant and insulted, and he let Hop Sing know.

"Now Hop Sing you got no right ta accuse me of stealing ya doughnuts. Ya can see I only have two. How am I supposed ta eaten more than that? I only jist got here. "

The little man wasn't convinced, so Hoss calmed himself a mite and tried the safest argument he knew. "Besides, how do ya expect a man to resist the, magnificent aro…smell…"

"Aroma," offered Adam.

"Yeah the magnificent aroma of these here doughnuts of yours. Everybody knows you make the best doughnuts; fluffy and sweet with a little bit of sugar and …"

"cinnamon and little bit of ginger root," offered the Hop Sing.

"Yeah see, they are; they're best Hop Sing and no one can resist them, but I swear I did not eat more than one."

"What's that in your back pocket?" asked Joe.

Hoss rolled his eyes before turning and giving Joe a malicious stare. Hop Sing now could see the doughnut sticking out of his pocket.

WHACK! Hop Sing landed another swat with his wooden spoon, taking Hoss completely by surprise.

Adam and Joe laughed heartily as Hoss swung back at the little man, "I was saving that ta have with a coffee, but its only one more. I tell you…" yelled Hoss "I have only eaten one doughnut." Hoss slammed his fist on the edge of the buck boards table.

The thud and vibration of Hoss' big hand dislodged the bowl that had been tittering on the edge and the bowl of batter started to fall. Hop Sing yelled, "looky out; catch bowl "

Hoss quickly caught the bowl as it slipped from the bench and before it could land on the dirt in front of him. Meanwhile, Ben had decided to step in and placate both Hoss and Hop Sing before either offended each other. He didn't see the bowl fall, and that would have been fine and dandy, because Hoss had caught it in plenty of time, however, some of the batter had spilled over and landed on the ground just at Hoss' feet, and well as a Hoss' boots. So, as the big man bent his knees to cradle the catch and then straighten then so as to replace the bowl on the table, his feet slipped on the greasy mess and he fell to the ground.

The whole action seemed to slow down as Hoss fell; holding the bowl of batter close to his chest like it was the golden fleece. He then landed heavily on his butt; the bowl became airborne for a second and then perpendicular to Hoss' previous protected large chest. The batter flew over his head and landed all over Ben.

At this particular time, the world was no longer spinning slowly; it had completely stopped. There was silence for what seemed an eternity, until Joe let loose with his infectious cackle and continuous giggle. Adam couldn't help but join in, especially when he noted his fathers surprised expression morph into one of absolute bewilderment then to anger. Both Hop Sing and Hoss looked sheepishly at it each other, then at Ben. Hoss had to drop his head back to see Ben's face clearly. Hoss had never seen his father's face from this angle before. It was surreal and the close-up of his father's jaw, jutting and grinding, then those bulging eyes had him silently fascinated for a moment in time. He thought it _was like one of them drawings Adam had shown him of one of them Shakespearean characters … Macbeth?_ Covered in blood, while he cried for revenge. Except his father weren't covered in blood, just doughnut batter, all yellow and gooey dripping down his face and onto his shirt.

"WHAT IN TARNATION JUST HAPPENED" bellowed Ben.

Everybody ran; Adam, Joe, Hop Sing and Hoss.

 _ **End Flashback**_

Mak belly laughed. "I could jist about imagine that he said. Why you're a real good storyteller, Alex."

Mak's laughter rumbled against her back and she couldn't but giggle herself. "Thanks Mr Mak. But theys all are gonna be mad at me iffin they find out I left that bowl there," she confessed.

"Well I won't tell them if you won't, but if they figure it out you best own up to it."

Alex sobered somewhat. "I will. I'm jist afeared that dad is gonna send me back to Mrs O'Shaughnessy"

"Well it would have been the safest place for you to stay. Going back there now, though, I'm not quite sure that's a good idea. I have a lot to tell your daddy. When we meet up."

"Yes sir."

"Hey, don't be so glum, at least you get to see your daddy and know his safe. I believed that part of your story too."

"Sure will, I guess that is one good thing."

"Well hold on there's the herd now," announced Mak, pointing at the large herd of cattle munching some green grass. "I don't see your Daddy, so I'll go right up to the camp. Do you know what direction they are hold -up?"

Alexandra looked around the landscape trying to spot the boulders and trees she remembered from the camp the night before "Yeah see there Mr Mak on the hill; you see the wagon and smoke from the fires."

"We'll let get going then shall we."

"Okay but can I get behind you. Iffin my daddy sees me straight way in front, he's gonna start hollering afore anyone gets ta explain. And well I think things could go a lot smoother iffin you were to explain a little; like how I been a good learner cowhand an all."

"Right," said Mak with a smirked. "Okay, Alex get behind me, but he's going to spot you, and once he does, I'm not going to be able to save your hide; your neck yeah, but your backside no."

Alex looked back at Mak while he pulled up his horse and gave him a shy smile. Once he stopped his horse, she maneuvered herself around his large form and sat behind him on the rise of his large well-worn saddle.

~oOo~

A slight drizzle started as they rode into the camp. Mak looked down into the valley and noticed some of the other herds had arrived. The Ponderosa herd was quiet, slightly jostling about to make room for the newcomers. His own herd would be one of the last to arrive along with the much smaller heard of Dan Devlin. Then there would be almost five thousand cattle moving and making their way to the sale yards. Some would be bought for the eastern markets and some for the northern and mid-western. Rail cars would all head off towards their respective towns to be either sold to local markets or sent further on.

"Can I get under your coat, Mr Mak? It's raining," asked Alex.

Mak had to wonder if the kid was using his jacket to hide rather than the discomfort of the slight drizzle that fell on his broad shoulders protecting the small child behind him. "Yeah okay, but you may get a mite hot under there. Oh, look there's your father!" exclaimed Mak as he waved his hand in the air.

Alex didn't dare look; she just quickly lifted the tail of Mak's big oil skin duster and took shelter.

"Mak!" came a shout from far away. "Just seen your herd heading this way."

"Yeah, Cartwright you've got good eyes."

"Ha!" laughed Adam, "Damn huge dust cloud is what I'm seeing…"

"Ohh dad said damn," whispered Alex. "I ain't allowed to say that."

"Shh there", nudged Mak.

"Sent a couple of my men that way to help with your herd with this drizzle coming in, though its dry before it hits the ground."

"What ya say?" yelled Mak.

Adam pointed to the hill above the herd. "Meet me up at the chuck wagon," he shouted.

Mak raised his hand and nodded before turning his horse sharply around to head up the hill.

Alex squealed with the sudden jump of the horse's action.

Adam heard the sound echo as it bounced of the grade of the valley walls. "You alright Mak?" he yelled. But, Mak was already making his way up towards the chuck wagon.

Mak made it to the top of the hill, to where a few off the horses were tied up.

"Hey there Mak," said a voice Alexandra that recognised as her grandfathers.

"You made good time," said Ben.

"Yeah, a few extra strays kept us a little late."

"Right then. Tie your horse up here; one of the lads will look after him. There's hot coffee waiting by Hop Sing's wagon." said Ben before he left for the centre of camp and the hub of the chuck wagon. There several men were taking their break after a recent shift change; eating sandwiches and drinking strong coffee.

Before Mak could dismount Adam arrived from the left of them. "Good hot coffee sounds about right" he panted. "You sound as though you could use some Mak, I heard you squeal like a whore in a hot bath," he teased. "Your back playing up again or have you rescued a mountain cub?" he said when he noticed the slight movement coming from under Mak's long duster. "You nearly lost your balls last time you did that," laughed Adam.

Alexandra gasped every time her father used unseemly words, then giggled at the thought of her grandfather washing out his mouth with soap; a threat he had thrown at her many a time.

"Oh," said Mak looking back at the lump that sat beside me. "Actually, that's no mountain kitten. It's a surprise for you. She's a cub alright, and a formidable offspring at that. I came across her on the trail. Walt had her tagged as a rustler."

Adam frowned and moved around to take a better look at the bundle. He 'd spied a little cowboy boot poking out to the side of Mak's duster. Then he noticed the little pony that Mak had with him. He hadn't taken much notice of it when he first caught sight of Mak from the grazing valley; just presumed it was a little companion pony that was common on drives with a large remuda. "Oh, she's no mountain cub, alright. But a offspring of someone's who's going to have her hide. Alexandra! Is that you?" he asked as he pulled back Mak's duster to reveal his eleven-year-old daughter, clinging to Mak's midriff as if her life depended on it and in essence it did.

Alexandra's eyes went wide, and though she knew her father was angry, he was still somewhat bewildered by the sight of her. Alexandra knew that the wheels were turning in his head and all sorts of questions still coming to mind; as how she had come to be out here so far away from where he thought she was safe, expected to stay safe and behave. She took advantage of his state of confusion and the opportunity it held. "Surprise dad," she yelled and leaped out of the saddle down into his chest where he quickly grabbed her. Alex wrapped her arms around his neck and started kissing his perplexed face. "I missed you so much, dad. I can see now that your safe and that I had nothing to worry about. It's put my mind ta rest I can assure you. Now I know what it's like for a momma bear ta worry about her cub; it's a real worry being responsible for other people and even though its mainly parents that worry about their kids; kids can worry too. But ma minds at rest now and especially as I know Mak's gonna be with you and grandpa and Uncle Hoss and Uncle Little Joe and let's not forget Hop Sing. I told Mak about Hop Sing and how I call him Uncle Smiley face cause most of the time he's smiling unless ya late for supper or ya snaffle some cookies before dinner. Mr Mak saved me from being hanged as a cattle rustler and bought me here. Though, against my wishes dad, cause I knowed It was getting late and I should be heading back to Mrs O'Shaunassey. But, theys had me tied up so it was too late by the time I explained my innocence. Its lucky Mr Mak knows you and he's a right honest person, smart too, cause he knowed I wasn't cattle rustler right from the beginning, except …. Mmfts bommftt heft…"

Alexandra could no longer be heard, as Adam managed to untangle one of his arms and put his hand over her mouth to stop it running off in all directions and bamboozling him and anyone else that was around.

Mak on the other hand could be heard chuckling. The kid was good, he thought. He wondered if his own little girl not more than four years old would be as rambunctious, devious and cute as all hell at the same time. "There's a lot to tell you friend, how about we get that coffee first."

Adam took a long-drawn breath and then dislodged Alex's arms from around his neck. He then instantly flipped over his left arm and applied six hard wacks to her denim clad backside before unceremoniously plonking her on the ground to stand in front of him. "You!" he said in full force "find yourself a corner. When I come to deal with you, I better get the whole story; with just the plain truth and no embellishment."

Alex wanted to ask him what embellishment meant, but before the words could leave her mouth, another swat landed on her backside.

"NOW GET" bellowed Adam.

Alexandra took off towards the grazing cattle only to be stopped by her father's commanding voice. "Where do you think you're going?" he demanded.

"Ta Find a corner, dad. Which is pretty hard, cause this is a big open valley; it's kinda round. A corner may take me a while ta find."

Adam pointed to the camp site, "Try up there," he ordered not impressed with her delaying attempt at logic.

Alexandra surveyed the area to her left. She noticed the campfire, a crop of trees, where she could just make out a small creek and the chuck wagon to the far left of them. She started walking towards the trees.

"No!" said Adam, "where I can see you. Go stand by the wheel of the chuck wagon."

"But, the chuck wagon wheel is dangerous. I ain't supposed ta stand too close to it even ifin its wedged chocked. Though, I suppose the trees are jist as dangerous. There could be snakes and iffin I'm not supposed ta move until you come for me, I might be bitten by a snake. You'd have ta suck the poison out then, dad. Hope it bites me on the leg or something. I once heard of this lady that got bitten on her ars… ahh bottom and was too embarrassed to get anybody ta suck it out. I'd be embarrassed too, I guess, but it's better than succumbing to the deathly poison of a vicious snake. So ya might be right; the wagon prolly a better place, ceptin, then the big wheel of the chuck wagon could accidently run over me, dad. I'd reckon it would squash me like a flapjack."

"Stop with the delay tactics, Alex. Stand on the other side of the chock. You've got to the count of three to get there; one…"

Adam didn't get to two before Alexandra took off at the speed of a rabbit caught in the sights of a hunter's riffle. Adam watched as she settled herself to the side of the wagon, not daring to utter another word or sneak a peek at him or anyone else that walked by. He then hooked his fingers into the side of his well-worn and dusty chaps and blew out an enormous breath.

Meanwhile Mak had dismounted and tethered his and Alexandra's pony. He grabbed the saddle bags from both horses, before turning to Adam as the man let out his almighty sigh. Mak bought Adam out of his revere with a slap on the shoulders. "Come on that hot coffee awaits; you might also need a cool dip in that there crik before you deal with that little gal." he laughed. "Anyway, I think there's more to worry about. When your father gets in, I think he will need to hear what I have to say."

They made their way over to the campfire not too far from the chuck wagon, but far enough that little ears could not hear. Ben arrived moments later and tethered his horse. He too noticed Alexandra pony tethered there and looked up to see his grandchild some distance away at the chuck wagon. "What In tarnation!" he mumbled to himself, before calling to Adam as he walked towards Mak and his oldest son. "Adam what is Alexandra doing here?" He asked as he walked up to the two men pouring themselves a long hot and strong coffee.

"Good question Pa, and I'll get the full story eventually."

"I'm thinking that might take you some time," laughed Mak.

"It will. Alexandra will tell me all of it and a bit more to boot. She likes to embellish, but she will be truthful in the end."

"Yeah, well I'm sorry if I caused you problems by bringing her here, but she was too far away from home to think of taking her back today. I also think we've may have a problem that could have put her in danger. Even if you can spare a man to take her back tomorrow before the last herd arrives, I reckon she's safer here."

"Problem?" asked Ben. "What problems could Alexandra have caused?"

"Nothing major, Ben, but she's been following you all since you left home. Catching strays; she tells me and practicing her cowboy skills so she can be a good hand for you next time. Don't reckon she intended getting caught this close to home, though. My man Walt caught her trying to catch a couple of our strays. He tied her up…"

"He tied up our little girl?" asked Ben incredulously.

"Now wait, Ben, he didn't tie her up too hard like, but she kept tryin' ta run. She was gonna get herself inta real trouble iffin we let her do that. Walt was jist trying ta keep her safe. You know Walt, Ben; he's an old cuss, but he ain't never harmed no innocent person or creature before."

"Sorry, Mak your right," approved Ben.

"That's okay, Ben. Anyway, tell me; how's your head counts been? All your strays accounted for?"

"Yes, the head counts right as of this morning, anyway. … Adam?" deferred Ben.

"Yeah, we are due for another before we head off. We've had a lot more strays than usual though. But they've been found pretty close and bought back; a lot of weanlings, come to think of it. Hoss and Joe should know more.

"A head count before we head off tomorrow is a good idea. Get all the drive bosses to do one. Tell your head man, only," suggested Mak.

"Okay, you think there's a rustler, besides Alexandra Cartwright in the area?"

Mak laughed, "Maybe." He then turned around and pulled out the saddle iron he had taken from Alexandra. "Found this in Alexandra's saddle bag. She'd been practicing branding cattle with it."

"What out in the open she's building fires she knows she's not allowed to go near fires without an adult let alone light one. Darn Kid! She could have set the valley on fire, there's only a few green pastures left around here."

"No, she's been practicing with mud and clay. Alexandra made that very clear, repeating the severe warning you have given her. Thing is; it's not the Ponderosa brand Adam, here look at it. Do you know of it?"

Adam took the brand and studied the insignia. "Nope have never seen it."

"Alexandra said she found it. Do you know a new rancher around here called Forsyth?"

"Nope, never heard of him. Where did Alexandra say she got the saddle iron?" asked Adam.

"Said she found it; didn't say where, exactly. I figured it was from around here," replied Mak.

"Well we'll know more if our head counts are off," said Ben.

"And we'll know more about this Forsyth, when we get to the sale yards. Evidently, he's taking a small herd there. They should probably get there just before us. We supposedly met one of his men, but then again, he could have made the name up, or know of a new rancher in these parts. But he'd been watching Alexandra. I didn't like that. Alex didn't like him either… said her Uncle Hoss taught her how to read a bad head," he laughed.

"Thanks, Mak. You were right to bring Alexandra here," said Adam.

"Yeah well, it got me thinking she might have seen something, and then when she had this saddle iron my gut told to keep my wits about me. I didn't pick her as yours when I first found it. Thought she might have been with her pa, rustling a few, but she insisted that you were a good man who don't abide no thieving. She's a talker so it wasn't long before I knew she was tellin' the truth about the brands and most likely belong to you Adam. So, I took a bit of a chance, thinking I'd bring her here. On the way here that's when we ran into this lone cowboy. He knew Alex had been lost. He'd been watching alright; knew too much about her. Anyway, I say we put this saddle iron back in her saddle bag and watch that too. Watch the herd, keep tabs on our head numbers."

Adam looked at the saddle iron, turning over in his hands, and tracing the bent lines of the design, thinking. "Maybe we should be checking the brands as well," he suggested.

"And keeping tabs on the number of strays we're losing." added Ben.

"Yes once we start the dive, keeping tabs on five thousand head is going to take some work, though," suggested Mak.

"You think the rustlers are waiting for that opportunity?" Asked Ben.

"It's what I'd do. They'd only need to skim a few here and there to make a pretty penny." inferred Adam.

"Hmm," agreed Mak in thought. "Keep your most trustworthy men watching; nobody else," he added with a caution.

~oOo~

Alexandra stood by thee chuck wagon, waiting for her father to return. She could see the men talking and fiddled with her fingers. Trying to listen into weather she was going to be sent back. She knew she was in for a lickin' but wasn't sure about being sent back. Her father would have to do it and he wouldn't be too pleased at having to delay the drive for near on a day and a half.

THWACK! The sound of the wooden spoon hitting her backside came well before the sting.

"Little Missy turn around. Wait for father and think about bad choices Little Missy make," announced Hop Sing, as he returned to the chuck wagons table after stirring a huge pot of stew he had simmering nearby.

"I've thought about it a lot already, Hop Sing."

"Hop Sing know Little Miss plan something like this. Hop Sing been watching, just in case you follow."

"I didn't really plan it Hop Sing, honest. It kinda just all fell inta place day before yesterday."

"You plan enough to keep out of sight. Hop Sing sure you would show up." Hop Sing suddenly stopped and frowned as only the little man could. Alexandra was sure he was going to quote one of his ancestors' sayings; words of wisdom, sometimes as a warning sometimes as a kind show of sympathy and support. "In life not possible to bloom bright flowers from lies."

In this case it was both.

"I reckon you're right, Hop Sing. I'm gonna come clean with dad," she announced sincerely.

"Hmm, come clean with everybody. All family be disappointed. Worry about what could happen. Can't trust Little Miss to stay safe."

"I'm sorry, Hop Sing."

"Hmmm," he murmured. "You were the one who stole doughnuts yesterday?"

"Yes, sir. I needed then to feed to the baby calves."

"Hop Sing false accuse Mister Hoss. Hop Sing owe him honourable apology. Little Miss owe him that and more. Must make amends. Flowers leave some of their fragrance in the hand that bestows them."

"I will try, Hop Sing. I bets there's lots of things I can do fer Uncle Hoss."

"Good, little miss. Start by being truthful. Family all help each other mostly because they are truthful. No make plans behind back."

"What iffin I wanted to surprise someone with something nice."

"That is fine, but surprises are meant for the joy of the receiver, not the ego of the giver. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody and do not expect fanfare for it."

"Good advice Hop Sing," said the deep voice of Adam as he came up behind them, carrying Alexandra's saddle bags.

"Hop Sing always have good advice," he announced. "Just advice not always taken."

Adam moved behind the chuck wagon and pored himself another coffee from Hop Sing's fire. "Well I will take any that you can give at the moment," he said. "This is the third time I've had to discipline Alexandra for this sort of thing. It can't be working."

"Little Miss does not see it the same. There is difference between discipline and punishment. But, whatever you do, If you are patient in one moment of anger you will escape a hundred days of sorrow."

Adam swallowed the last of his coffee and then threw the dregs into a nearby bush. "Okay patience," he murmured to himself. "Better get on with this." He said. "Oh, and Hop Sing. Alexandra will be staying."

"Better to have trouble close-by, so can act quickly," snickered the little man.

"Yep. But I can't spare a man now to take her back either."

"I keep Little Miss with me. She keep plenty busy and out of trouble… mostly." he added.

"Thanks, Hop Sing. I was thinking that, but I wanted you're okay on it."

"Hop Sing good mind reader too." he laughed.

"Leave her saddle bags, they need cleaning; I'll do that later. Her bed roll is there; we'll sort out the sleeping arrangements later."

"Yes, Mister Adam."

Adam grabbed a canteen before rounding the chuck wagon to speak to Alexandra. "I see you've stayed put," he praised. He held out his hand. "Come with me we need to have a private conversation, little girl."

Alexandra looked up glumly and took he fathers' hand. He gently squeezed it; kind in action, which made Alex feel even more remorseful.

They walked away from the camp site, past the crop of small trees that lined the creek bed. Adam found a fallen log and sat Alexander down on it before heading to the creek a few feet in front of him. He leaned down and filled the canteen with fresh cool water. Then he returned to the child watching his every move, while she waited patiently on the log.

"Here take a cool drink, Alexandra."

Alex took the offered canteen and drank several huge gulps before handing it back to her father.

"Thirsty?" he observed.

"Yes dad, I still have some water in my canteen, but it's warm now."

Adam screwed the lid on the canteen then took an enormous breath as he sat down beside his daughter. "Alexandra, I don't know what to do about you running off like this. Do you know how dangerous it was for you to follow us?"

"Yes Dad, I do now, but only cause I got lost this morning and coulda been hung for cattle rustling, which I'm totally innocent of. Lucky for me Mak asked questions first huh? Until then I'd been following our herd real close. I found a couple of strays yesterday and shooed them back to the heard."

"Didn't anyone see you?"

"Nope, too much dust. I was careful."

"So, you had this pretty much planned out. I think that's what makes me the most disappointed. You wanted to come on the ride, and you weren't taking NO for an answer."

"That's not quite true dad. I was ready to stay at Mrs O'Shaughnessy, but then she thought I was with Marty and Marty thinks I'm with her, so I figured I could follow for a couple of hours. Then it got late and…"

"And you decided to not go back at all."

"Yes sir, I figured it was too far to go back. And then when Mak found me. It was definitely too far and too late."

"You were lucky that Mak found you. There are all sorts of animals and people out here who could have really hurt you."

"I know dad that now, dad."

"Hmmm. Well I'll have to get word to Marty and Mrs O'Shaunassey that you're okay. There's a way station close by where I can send a message."

"Are you gonna send me back on the stage there?"

"No. I can't send you back alone; that would be very irresponsible of me," he said firmly "And I can't spare a man for that long a time."

Alexandra smiled. "That mean I get to ride with you. I've got good at collecting strays, dad. And I can even rope some of the real small ones," she exclaimed.

"Take the grin off your face, young lady, you won't be going anywhere near the cattle. If fact once we have finished here, you will be spending the entire time with Hop Sing and the chuck wagon." Adam held up his hand, pre-empting Alexandra's objection. "The first thing you can do for me, so that I may be able to regain my trust in you, is not to argue."

Alex quickly suppressed the urge that had nearly taken over her. And pressed her lips closely together and nodded.

"What you can tell me; is why you didn't let your good sense tell you that following us wasn't such a good idea."

"I know it wasn't smart now, dad. Mak explained that to me also. But I was scared that something was going to happen to you. I wanted to be with you, just in case."

"You've had my undivided attention for weeks now, I don't understand your worry. And even if I was to get hurt you wouldn't be able to do anything much about it."

"I might have been able to help a little. At least I would be with you."

"And maybe in as much danger."

"Yes sir, but kids don't think that they are in danger. Kids think that nobody will hurt a kid; not on purpose anyway."

"I wish that was true Alex, but it's not. Besides that, animals don't know the difference sometimes; they just see a threat."

"Yes dad."

"So you thought by following us you could keep an eye on me and have a fun adventure all at the same time."

"Well, it has been fun up till now dad, but I also want to be like you and Uncle Joe and everyone; you know be a real good cowboy, so I'm really a Cartwright and I'll be able to come on trail rides and everything when I get bigger."

"You don't need to be a real good cowboy to be a Cartwright; you are a Cartwright; that will never change."

"And I also wanted ta be like Miss Marty, she can do all this stuff real good. You love Miss Marty, so iffin I'm more like her and not so much like my momma, you'll love me more and be real proud of me, instead worrying iffin I'm gonna go mad like my momma."

Adam groaned a little; he hadn't realised Alexandra was still feeling insecure about her mother and her place in his life. Yes, she was still grieving, but she always appeared confident and self-assured even when she was being totally illogical. He picked her up and sat her on his lap. "I want to get angry at that remark, but instead I'm sad. First, your mother's mental state was caused by lead poisoning; you know that. Then circumstances out of her control caused the bigger problems that you both had to endure. There are lots of good things about your momma that are the same good things about you. I love you no matter what. That too will never change. You don't need to be like anyone else. I don't like some of the dangerous risks you take. Or when you lie. But I will always love you, and the person you are and the person you will become." said Adam as he pushed back her wayward curls and kissed her forehead. "But, for now, how can I trust you completely? Well, that's another story. I long for that day when you won't put another grey hair on my head."

"Uncle Joe says you won't get any more grey hairs."

"What does Little Joe know! Your grandpa's hairs are all white because of him."

"Yeah but Uncle Joe says your gonna go bald afore you get as many grey hairs as grandpa."

"He did; did he?"

"Yes, he did. Says; he's gonna buy you a raccoon wig. I don't reckon that will look any good, dad. Maybe you should cut some of Uncle Little Joe's hair and glue it onto your head when the time comes. Ya can get some really strong glue, but ya gotta be careful with it. One time I was helpin' make a fake cannon for a theatre show. And I got it all over my shoes. I walked around afore I realised it and all these bits and pieces of stones and dirt got stuck to it. I got a silver dollar stuck to it when I walked through the poker room. And then a big ole fat man with a tooth missin' accused me of stealin' it. Well momma and Ivan had ta explain about the glue. The man wasn't so sure at first, then Ivan showed him how it worked. And he stuck the man's hands together. He believed Ivan then, but he got mad about his hands bein' stuck together, so he started yelling again, and running around. He looked like one of them trained seals ya see in storybooks. Everyone was laughing and making funny sounds. Corse, that only made him madder. Ivan got him to settle down when he did a magic trick and made a tooth appear. I reckon it was one of Grandma Stuarts. She died about a year before and left Ivan her false teeth, cause they cost her a fortune and she didn't want no thief nickin' them or them jist rotten in the ground; no good to anyone. So, Ivan makes this tooth appear, and he glues to the big ole fat mans other tooth. All his friends said he looked real good. And he happily left and gave Ivan the silver dollar."

"Everyone was happy then?" laughed Adam.

"Yup except me, cause I'm not supposed to go inta the gambling room at all EVER and well I forgot. Ivan paddled my behind real good, and I had ta scrub all the glue off the floors, but I still got supper. I had ta throw out my shoes, though."

Adam laughed. Alexandra saw that as a good sign and started to get up from his lap.

"Not so fast, Alexandra," he said and pulled her back to stand in front of him.

"Ohh. I'm still in trouble? Big trouble?"

"Big trouble," agreed Adam. "What are the main things you get into big trouble for. Alexandra?"

"Playin' with guns, which I didn't dad; not this time."

"Yes, and what else?"

"Lying is real bad."

"And did you lie?"

"Not to you dad…"

Adam raised an eyebrow.

"But I didn't tell Mrs O'Shaunassey the truth either," conceded Alex.

"And what else did you do that was really wrong?"

Alex shrugged her shoulders and sighed before answering. "I put myself in danger. Though I didn't think I was going to get inta danger or even trouble except iffin you caught up with me."

"But you were in danger and I have caught yup with you. So this is how it's going to go. For the rest of this trip until I can safely get you home again, you are not going to leave Hop Sing's side without his permission or mine. You are going to help Hop Sing with all the chores. There's more work to do on a cattle drive than roping calves, so you can practice those like toting water, chopping vegetables and washing dishes."

Alex screwed up her face. "I hate washing dishes, even iffin its different out here than being in an ole kitchen."

"Bad luck. You will also not ride Cally at all. Uncle Joe will exercise her if need be, but no riding AT all."

Alexandra was aghast. "But she'll miss me riding her. Can I at least visit her, she might cry iffin she doesn't see me every day like at home," she said woefully.

"We'll see about a visit after a couple of days, or if Cally frets any. But she'll be plenty spoilt over with other horses and will get exercised running around as a companion."

"But she's my companion!" Alex stated now getting angry at what she saw as an unfair punishment.

"Well you didn't think much about your companion's welfare, did you?" Adam responded firmly. "Cally could have been hurt. She's a little pony; out here a wild cat could have taken her down."

"Don't say that!" yelled Alexandra, as she jumped away and out of Adam's reach. "I don't want to think about that. Your being mean taking Cally away from me!"

Adam suppressed his temper with her little outburst. It had been a long time since Alexandra had actually thrown a tantrum. He wasn't going to let her get away with it, but he promised himself patience and tried not losing his temper. Instead he stretched out on the log, crossed his feet at the ankles and tucked his hands under his armpits. "Curb your temper, Alexandra we're a long way off finishing this discussion and you're only going to make things worse."

"What could be worse than not letting me see or ride Cally. There's nothin' that worse in the whole wide world. It's a mean punishment," she said this time stomping her feet, for good measure.

Adam uncrossed his arms and feet and sat up, leaning on his knees. "Taking Cally away from you during the drive and making you stay with Hop Sing isn't a punishment. This is a discipline that gives you safety, as you learning to understand about the welfare of others; in this case your pony. It is also the opportunity to see how a trail run is actually done. There are lots of chores and jobs to be done, and nobody ever starts at the top. They work their way up. It's also a venture for you to learn about the dangers and avoid them. You may end up taking that into account next time you take off on what you see as an adventure."

"It feels like a punishment."

"Well it's not meant to be, just an action to help you remember and learn from your mistakes. You are going to get punished though. For lying and putting yourself in danger. What are the usual consequences for that, Alexandra?"

"No… No! A spanking as well! I didn't lie and I wasn't in danger!" she announced.

"You did lie, you lied to Mrs O'Shaunassey, to Marty and to me…"

"When did I…"

Adam didn't let her finish. "You lied to me when you broke your promise and didn't stay where you were supposed to be. We went over this lying thing the other day when you played with my razor, another lie that could have caused a major injury. Just because you don't intend to tell a lie, it just happens, when the opportunity arises where you can leave the truth out, it is fraudulent."

"Fraudulent?"

"Deceptive and Dishonest – a lie for personal gain."

"Okay dad," she sniffled. "But I didn't mean ta be fraudulent. I just took advantage of a loopditch when it come up. It happened so fast I dint have time ta think it all out. Grandmama mam used to say her behind was twenty- twenty; meaning iffin she thought about the mistakes that was behind her; before they happened, she had real good eyesight and could see into the future."

Adam shook his head at Alexandra's analogy, but continued on. "You did lie, because you avoided us for nearly two whole days. So, you were deceitful. Just because you didn't intend for that to happen at first doesn't make it not wrong. Or just because you think you have a valid and noble reason doesn't make it the sensible course of action. So again, because you wanted to be with me, when one plan was thwarted, you took advantage of another when the _**loophole**_ arose. Its dishonest Alexandra. You're a better person than that."

"I still don't want a spanking," she said sulkily.

"I can well imagine that. I don't like handing them out. But you do the crime you pay the price. You lied and put yourself in danger so that means a spanking as a consequence, which is better than getting seriously hurt. So, hopefully you'll remember next time to avoid this punishment. THINK BEFORE YOU LEAP, Alexandra. Now come here."

Alexandra was still processing her father's lecture and didn't move. She shook her head, trying to shake her befuddled brain and the confusing argument her father had presented. However, Adam saw it as defiance. "Alexandra come here now, or it will only be worse."

"Huh?" said Alex coming out of thoughts. "How can it be worse dad? I don't even know what the not worse is. That could be anything. Its like them shop owners who put signs out like 20 % off the full price, but they never named the full price, so you could be getting 20% percent off any price that the shop owner decides was the full price. Now that's being fraudulent too, dad ain't it."

"Yes, it is. Your ten so, ten swats are the general amount for these misdemeanors. If you don't move your little behind over here by the count of three, I'm going ta add another swat for every second more you take."

Ten swats weren't so bad, thought Alexandra, even though her fathers' hand was like steel and stung like the dickens.

"One," counted Adam.

Alexandra quickly moved to her fathers' side. "Good," said Adam, "now no more arguments or tantrums," he added.

"Dad can I jist say one thing? It's important, and I won't be able to tell you after, cause I know I'm gonna be howling like a baby and think your real mean and probably won't care about how you feel about anything, I probably won't want to talk to you ever again. Grandpa and Uncle little Joe and Mak and others can look out after you; not me. Corse, I wouldn't like you to get hurts real bad, but I'll probably won't care iffin you get stung by a bee on your bum, but I sure as hell won't want ta tell ya what I need to tell you now."

"Okay Alexandra what is it?"

"Dad, I've taken another advantage of a loopditch…"

" _ **Loophole"**_ corrected Adam.

"Is a hole bigger than a ditch, dad?"

"No- sometimes a ditch is wider. It's just the saying is _**loophole**_. Now what's the loophole that you are taking advantage of." Adam sounded worried was there more to Alexandra adventure that could mean even more danger.

"Well dad, the loophole is you are old and not good at remembering things. And I've taken advantage of that."

"What haven't I remembered?" he inquired feeling a little relieved.

"I'm eleven. Your forgotten that last couple of times your paddle my butt. And well I figured I've been fraudulent. Of course, ya can't blame a kid, for doing that."

"No, I can't blame you for that too much. Well then; eleven it is." He said taking Alexandra hand and pulling her closer to him so that he could put her over his knee.

As soon as Alexandra was upturned, she starting to wriggle in anticipation of the first swat.

"Alexandra stop wriggling," he ordered.

"I can't help it, dad, I know its gonna hurt and so does my butt, and well my legs jist take on a life of their… ownneee owee."

Adam laid down the first swat before she got her sentence finished. Alex's legs flew up and her hand went to her stinging backside. Adam grabbed her legs and pushed them down between his, clasping them tightly which lifted her lower torso higher. He then grabbed her arm and held it in place at her waist. Adam then laid down another eight hefty swats, to her denim clad backside, raising a cloud of dust and a very loud squeal of discomfort with each and everyone.

By this time Alexandra was sobbing. "I'm sorr… rrryy dad," cried Alexandra

Adam lifted Alex slightly and undid the first two buttons of her pants, loosening them enough to push them down along with her long cotton undershorts past her thighs. "What are you sorry for Alex?" asked Adam before laying down another stinging blow to her upturned bare bottom.

"Oweeee. I'm sooryyy for… for lyi… lyin…ng and fraudloopin'" gasped Alex between breaths and her sobs.

"What else?" asked Adam laying down another solid slap with his open palm.

"Oweee agggh geeeze; that was a… a… a… sting… ger," hiccupped Alex.

"What else Alexandra?"

"Okay dad… jist let me… me… me get ta get ta my breadth. It's hard to… to… to… think." She cried. "I should neverput myself indanger eveniffinIthink theres nodanger cause mosttimes Imight be indangerand don't know it." She said quickly.

Adam finished off with the hardest smack, Alexandra had ever felt. Well in her mind anyway.

"Ahhhh," she yelled and started jumping up and down as soon as her father had put her on her feet. Adam held her arms while she did, believing her hopping would soon subside. Holding her arms also kept her from leaping into the creek to cool her burning rump. It's what he'd do and had every intention of soaking his hand in the cool water once he had comforted Alexandra and sent her back to the chuck wagon. When Alex continued to bounce up and down, he pulled her to him intending to rub her back while she got her tears and sobs under control.

However, Alexandra pulled away from him. "No… No! Fair dad, you done give me twelve swats; one extra!" she accused as she pulled her britches up and held onto the loose waistband.

"Well sorry Alexandra I guess my memory isn't as good as it used to be," smirked Adam.

Alexandra crossed her arms. Still with tears rolling down her cheeks she let loose her disapproval. "Well I ain't accepting that excuse, dad, and… and… and I… I want a discount next time," she wailed. "I ain't talking to ya for the rest of the day…maybe… may…be the…the week!" she warned and then continued to babble as she headed towards the chuck wagon. "And I hope ya step in some really smelly wet cow dung or get peed on by a baby calf or get stung by a whole hive of wasps and ya squeal like a whore in a hot bath. Or ya get your…"

"Oh lord," scoffed Adam, at hearing Alex repeat the curse he'd thrown at Mak earlier. He supposed she would hear worse from some of these rough cowboys in the days to come. Alex had already come with an array of her own two years ago after leaving in the Star and Garter. He rubbed his still stinging hand over his rough unshaven face. He didn't hear what else Alex had to say, nor now did he really care, he just needed to cool the palm of his own hand down before his next shift started.

TBC

Chapter 5: Anything You Can Do…I Can

A.N.

Thanks everybody for being so patient and for all your encouragement and reviews. I actually started this chapter last January, but never got back to it until April where I got half of it done. Then got back to it this November, before major issues at work waylaid me once again. So here it was a nice long one to keep you busy. I hope it wont take as long next time.

A huge shout out to Lajocci who got this chapter only a week ago and got it back to me so soon; especially for this time of year. I hope every one of you had a special Christmas and very happy and prosperous New Year.


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